May 08, 2009

McSmart Wedding Site from ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

By Nichole Mrasek

ABC has given fans a new way to celebrate the on-screen romance of Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd. In case you aren’t a fan of the show, Grey and Shepherd are main characters on the drama, and after years of viewers waiting for them to get serious, they are getting married. To promote their engagement, the show has created a wedding site for the couple via The Knot.

They aren’t registered at Macy’s for the gift registry; instead fans can donate to charities.

Boston.com reported: “A website with details about their nuptials and an invitation to RSVP for the event drew some 1,400 replies in the first 24 hours. "We love to create other experiences that relate to the show and that don’t break the fourth wall," (Benson executive vice president of marketing for ABC Entertainment) said. Within the first day, without promotion, the page had more than 42,000 unique views.”

More from Boston.com on the Grey’s wedding site.

Posted by staff at 05:27 PM
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April 27, 2009

Domino’s and The Power of YouTube

By Alicia Dorset

If you haven’t the seen the YouTube clip of two North Carolina Domino’s Pizza staffers tampering with your favorite menu items, consider yourself lucky. The clip, which started making its way around the Web last week, shows two former employees doing disgusting things with the food as they prep it for an order. As the buzz continued to build, Domino’s actually got YouTube to pull the clip. However, outraged users kept replacing the clip on the site.

BusinessWeek has a post on the incident and raises the question of free speech on the Internet. What makes Domino’s so special that they can have a negative clip pulled (one that was actually posted by their own employees and not an irritated customer)? Will all companies be able to follow suit? The possibilities are scary, to say the least. Here’s hoping that this doesn’t become the next trend for corporate America.

Read BusinessWeek’s “Domino’s Pizza YouTube Video Lesson: Focus on Standards, and Pack Your own Lunch.”

USA Today also looked at Domino’s response to the crisis, and gives the company kudos for reacting quickly and using social media to respond.

Posted by staff at 04:30 PM
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April 17, 2009

When Your Reputation is On the Line

While many fantastic, positive features can be written about our clients and industry online, it is inevitable that there will be criticism as well. Matthew Grant from MarketingProfs Daily Fix has tips to help us stay calm and respond to ‘negativity 2.0’ with a clear head:

- Lesson 1: Research Before You Respond – Even though comments can be anonymous, generally doing a bit of digging around can help you pinpoint where these comments are stemming from.
- Lesson 2: Respond with Humility – Sometimes a simple apology is the best opening line.

- Lesson 3: Accept Responsibility – Insert yourself into the conversation and provide a resolution to the problem. Be open for direct contact.
- Lesson 4: Provide a Forum for Criticism – iIf there are going to be negative things said, you might not have control over the topic but you have the ability to host the place for dialogue.
- Lesson 5: Hang in There – “It's not about being right online; it's about making sure people feel alright, even when things go wrong.”

Read more from Grant here.

Posted by staff at 03:24 PM
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March 19, 2009

Facebook Updates Its Relationship Status with iPhone

Another reason for iPhone users to geek out: Facebook announced the Facebook Connect application for iPhone, allowing users to hold the Facebook platform in the palm of their hands. Facebook users now can have their full identify on their iPhone - from basic profile information to photos, events friends and more.

iPhone users can now have an enhanced experience on Facebook, as they are not just logging in, they are not connecting to let other applicaitons exchange information as part of a larger social network. Described as "embedding social context to an iPhone app,” Facebook Connect for iPhone enables users to:
* Seamlessly "connect" their Facebook accounts and information with your site
* Connect and find their friends who also use your site
* Share information and actions on your site with their friends on Facebook

More from Facebook. Read what the Wall Street Journal says about Facebook Connect here.

Posted by staff at 05:09 PM
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March 15, 2009

In Order to Save Itself, Newspaper Industry Enters the Social Media Fray

By Marian Short

According to social media strategist and Web architect Woody Lewis, the term “newspaper” may soon carry the same quaint undertones as “record album” does in a land of CDs, mp3s and iPods. While these traditional news outlets are undergoing painful changes industry wide, Lewis theorizes newspapers could still viably function in today’s world – as long as they begin to embrace social media.

To this end, Lewis compiled a list of ten ways newspapers are utilizing social media to bring life into the ailing industry.

Social media actions newspapers have taken include:
* Twitter feeds of headlines
* Acquisition of a social media service provider
* Hosting online events
* User generated content (promoting and monetizing)
* Hosting live blogging/forum discussions on breaking stories
* Customized news delivery
* Creating branded communities
* Going virtual – ceasing paper service

See Mashable for more here.

Posted by staff at 05:53 PM
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February 24, 2009

Unappetizing: Yelp Tampers with Online Restaurant Reviews?

By Marian Short

California based newspaper East Bay Express broke the story of allegedly fraudulent practices of Yelp.com, a popular online restaurant review site covering the San Francisco area. Several restaurateurs speaking on condition of anonymity said Yelp sales reps regularly called to inform them about negative reviews readers had posted. What could be done about them?

Well, offered one representative, “We can move them…for $299 a month." Other businesses have reported positive reviews disappearing, - or negative ones appearing - on their restaurant page, after having declined Yelp’s offer to move reviews. East Bay Express reported that several businesses likened Yelp to the mafia.

Yelp officials denied any wrongdoing, though allegations have arisen frequently enough for them to address the situation on their FAQ page. As always, (potentially) bad behavior makes for a juicy story… this item has been dugg over 1,500 times. Read more.

Posted by staff at 11:27 AM
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Are Second Life’s days coming to an end?

By Alicia Dorset

Second Life, the hyped online virtual community, is now presenting itself as an online schoolhouse, according to a post last weekend from Valleywag.

The post notes that two large supporters, Reuters and Wired, have closed up shop in Second Life. Make sure to check out the story for some candid comments on what it was like to do business in a virtual world. View feature here.

Posted by staff at 10:14 AM
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February 18, 2009

Facebook Terms of Service Irritates Users

By Alicia Dorset

Everyone was talking about Facebook last Friday and it wasn’t good. A recent update to the site’s terms of service stated Facebook can do anything with the content you post on the site (everything from licensing your image to using your spring break photos in an ad campaign), even if you TERMINATE your account. Immediately blogs and Twitter accounts buzzed with unhappy members debating whether or not to terminate their accounts.

Mashable’s Stan Schroeder said it best: “Sure, most users don’t really care (or think they don’t care) about all this, but the idea that you now cannot stop Facebook from using your content should you ever want to is frightening to say the least.” Read more here.

Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg responded to the controversy in a blog post Sunday evening. In his post, Zuckerberg gave a half-hearted explanation of what the new TOS was really all about: “In reality, we wouldn’t share your information in a way you wouldn’t want. The trust you place in us as a safe place to share information is the most important part of what makes Facebook work. Our goal is to build great products and to communicate clearly to help people share more information in this trusted environment.” Full blog post here.

As the debate continued, Zuckerberg posted another entry to the Facebook blog Wednesday morning with an update on the TOS. Until Facebook finds a solution, they’re returning to their previous TOS agreement. Read more about the change back to original guidelines here.

Posted by staff at 12:19 PM
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February 15, 2009

The Dangers of Astroturfing

By Ann Stofflet

Last month, a Belkin employee wrote a blog post offering $0.65 to those willing to write positive Belkin reviews on Amazon.com. When people took him up on the offer and started gushing about products they had never used, a blogger exposed the scam.

Of course, the media ran with the story, and the offer was not only taken down from the blog, but the president of Belkin was quick to apologize for the “Astroturfing.” Astroturfing is the naughty marketing practice of companies who orchestrate phony grassroots enthusiasm for products or services, sometimes resulting in a public relations nightmare.

Read the full story here.

Posted by staff at 12:36 PM
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February 03, 2009

Timelines Take on a Cool Twist

Flowdata has a new, visual approach to plotting a company’s growth. Take a look at how Target stores have expanded since 1962 with this digital chart.

Posted by staff at 12:43 PM
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CNN Reporter Criticized for Twitter Usage

By Alicia Dorset

CNN’s Rick Sanchez is a big fan of Twitter. As @ricksanchezcnn, he takes to the CNN desk daily at 3 p.m. to bring viewers the news with opinions and questions from Twitter followers. However, when Sanchez went in for arthroscopic knee surgery last week, his use of Twitter all the way to the operating room drew both ridicule and criticism from fellow journalists. Tweets like “Just met anesthesiologist watches show loves twitter she’s young beautiful and about to put me under” left many people wondering if Sanchez should lay off the Twitter when he’s not in the newsroom. See for yourself with this New York Post story.

Posted by staff at 12:17 PM
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January 29, 2009

Pulling the Trigger on Trigger Marketing

“Marketers can always figure out what to sell, how to sell and to whom to sell. What they often can’t figure out is when to sell.” - Lester Wunderman

As we all know, triggers are executed in response to certain events. Similarly, marketing triggers deliver targeted messages, offers and the like to consumers at an optimal point in time, based on a variety of factors. Trigger marketing can improve a marketing campaign performance by up to 10 times. The Aberdeen benchmark report, Trigger Marketing: Timing Is Everything, states that this year, two-thirds of survey respondents have increased their budgets for the technologies that make the launch of a trigger marketing campaign possible.

Types of triggers can include customer life-stage triggers, such as marriage, a new home purchase, the birth of a baby or retirement. So, if a home purchase is detected based on new-mover data, an insurance company might offer not only home insurance but services for home security, telecommunications and the like.

Trigger marketing gives companies the ability to know in real time when consumers are looking to buy. It also provides them a way to act on this knowledge as quickly (and profitably) as possible. It helps companies become good listeners and to react in a targeted way. It’s not just a pitch anymore, but a way to answer consumers’ needs, thereby enhancing the overall consumer experience.
To learn more about this important approach view the full story here.

Posted by staff at 11:49 AM
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Brand Value in Twitter

By Nichole Mrasek

Twitter is certainly growing in popularity and more brands are participating in the micro-blogging service. But there are elite companies that have the best grasp on utilizing Twitter and they are reaping the benefits among consumers.

Mashable has a fantastic article discussing the top 40 brands on Twitter and the great minds behind the accounts. Editor Jennifer Van Grove states, “Smart brands use Twitter in meaningful ways, and most of them use their brand name as a way to make sure customers can find and recognize them. This piece, and the knowledge I learned from the incessant hours invested, demonstrate why brands do belong on Twitter. No other medium gets you inside a business or brand quiet like Twitter.”

Automotive, travel, sports, finance and more are featured brand categories, with spotlights on GM, Best Buy and The Home Depot included.

Read more on the brands highlighted here.

Posted by staff at 11:42 AM
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January 21, 2009

Ketchum in Hot Water over Twitter Remarks

By Charlie Kondek

What happened to a Ketchum VP recently should serve as a reminder to us all to be professional in our use of social media. Shankman’s blog broke the story. The short version: a Ketchum VP visiting FedEx headquarters in Memphis, TN for business Tweeted upon his arrival, "I would die if I had to live here". The purpose of the meeting was to present “on digital media to the worldwide communications group at FedEx (150+) people.” A FedEx employee spotted the Tweet and forwarded the message to leading executives at FedEx and Ketchum. FedEx was offended and they certainly let Ketchum know.

The entire story is unfortunate and worth a read, a meaningful lesson to us all about our interaction in the social space, respect for our clients, and understanding their business.

Read more on “Be Careful What You Post” here.

Posted by staff at 02:25 PM
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January 16, 2009

Facebook’s Whopper of a Social Media Sacrifice

By Nichole Mrasek

Burger King recently held an online promotion on Facebook giving out free Whopper coupons. In order to receive your coupon, you just had to drop 10 Facebook friends. More than 82,000 Facebook users were eager to let go of a few friends.

Facebook quickly caught on and informed Burger King that the application to notify users when they have dropped a friend was not allowed. Rather than comply, the fast food giant shutdown the "Whopper Sacrifice." Check out the MSNBC write-up "No more burgers before bros on Facebook” here.

Posted by staff at 03:06 PM
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January 15, 2009

Best Major Blogs of 2008

Who made the cut? Check it out here.

Posted by staff at 03:34 PM
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January 08, 2009

Doctors to Make Virtual House Calls?

By Marian Short

While the idea of a physician caring for you at your home may be long gone, a service debuting in Hawaii this month could spell out the next step in patient-doctor interactions. The New York Times reported that America Well, a Web-oriented health company, is offering short, online doctors’ visits; enabling doctors to view patients, access medical histories and issue prescriptions. Hawaii, with its many islands and rural areas, presented itself as a logical place to employ online medicine. This service is likely to be rolled out in other states, as D.C. lobbyists look to expand access to healthcare. This service will be available to Hawaiians insured through a division of Blue Cross-Blue Shield, as well as to uninsured patients, for a slightly higher fee.

While “online diagnosis” would certainly have its limitations, and critics worry doctors could overlook potentially important indicators online, Oahu-based family physician Robert Sussman explained it this way: “It’s a tool to help doctors do better, the way a stethoscope is a tool,” he said. “You still have to use your common sense, your medical knowledge.” Another concern remains regarding access to broadband for the poor and uninsured – though one recent study found that two-thirds of the uninsured population use broadband at home.

Read more form The New York Times “Doctors Will Make Web Call in Hawaii” here.

Posted by staff at 02:03 PM
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December 31, 2008

Top 10 Web Platforms of 2008

Web platforms allow people to build on top of another company's product. So, to aptly close out their Top 10 Product Series, ReadWriteWeb has chosen its Top 10 Web platforms of 2008:
1. iPhone SDK
2. OpenSocial
3. Adobe AIR
4. Twitter API
5. Facebook Platform
6. Android
7. Amazon Web Services
8. Live Mesh
9. Fire Eagle
10. Mozilla Weave

Posted by staff at 09:56 AM
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December 13, 2008

Best Web Services of 2008

Silicon Valley blogger Louis Gray reviews the ten best new Web services from 2008 and previews how the services will fair in 2009. Summize, ReadBurner, SocialToo are among the top reviewed.

To see who made the list, check it out here.

Posted by staff at 01:02 PM
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December 11, 2008

Fast Company Forecasts for 2009 on the Web

"8 Experts Predict How Web 2.0 Will Evolve” provides insight on possible emerging digital trends we might expect to see in the new year.

Influencers from leading organizations and online media share their thoughts on how the mainstream impact from 2008 will carry over into social media in 2009.

Excerpt from Fast Company—

Tara Hunt, Co-Founder, Citizen Agency and Citizen Space: “Social Media will cease to be such an ’experimental’ field in marketing and will start to become part of the main core of good campaigns. Web 2.0 is the participatory web - which means that the power of this time is that we are all producers.”

Susan Mernit, Co-Founder, People Software: “I see social media in 2009 becoming more and more accessible to mainstream audiences...This means that everyone will experience what bloggers and gamers learned at least 5 years ago--following people online is a great way to virtually know and screen potential contacts and friends, as well as a tool to maintain connections.”

Read additional expert outlooks from the full feature here.

Posted by staff at 11:39 AM
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November 28, 2008

Twitter As A News Source?

The social media activity on Twitter surrounding the incredibly tragic situation in Mumbai is being recognized for providing updates through the crucial hours during and after the attacks. TechCrunch debates the battle of Twitter as a reputable source of information.

Posted by staff at 10:52 AM
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October 17, 2008

The Good & the Bad of Pizza Hut’s Facebook Ordering Service

Pizza Hut’s recently launched Facebook application, which allows users to order a pizza directly from the social networking site, seems like a great idea. However, blogger Harrison Hoffam of The Web Services Report, feels that the application falls short.

Harrison is a fan of Pizza Hut’s online ordering, but was disappointed to see that the Facebook application mirrors the exact function on Pizza Hut’s Web site, offering nothing new to users. “The worst part of Pizza Hut’s app, however, is not the fact that it offers nothing new in terms of functionality, it’s that it spams all of your friends with advertisements,” said Harrison.

More users were complaining of the identical spam issue, which prompted Pizza Hut to remove the notification of fans logging into the application, and gave them the ability to opt out of receiving additional notifications from the application.

Check out the Pizza Hut Facebook application and read more on “Pizza Hut misses the mark with new Facebook app” here.

Posted by staff at 10:28 AM
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September 23, 2008

New Facebook, New Outrage

By Nichole Mrasek

Facebook has been transitioning users into new designs since early this year. But in the past week, more than 100 million Facebook enthusiasts might have logged in and noticed the full integration of the new layout, look and feel. Facebook Project Manager, Mark Slee states, "We set out to make Facebook simpler, cleaner, more relevant, and easier to control. With your feedback and participation ... we believe we’ve gotten to the best Facebook yet.”

Facebook might feel as though they have created a prime product, but many users are very disappointed in the redesign and have taken their comments online and to Facebook groups to protest. According to USA Today, “Several groups requesting a return to the old design have surfaced, including one with 1 million members.” CNN has also received more than 200 e-mails discussing disdain about the social network site changes.

Read more from CNN on how users are adjusting to the new Facebook changes.

Posted by staff at 08:48 AM
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February 06, 2008

Oh, no, Target, you didn't

By Charlie Kondek

When a blogger wrote to Target complaining about imagery in an ad, Target replied:

“Unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets."

The New York Times had the story recently. Target's stance in this instance is a mistake both in media relations and in influencer marketing. That's no surprise, since blogging is sometimes a combination of both journalistic reporting and consumerist word of mouth. In this case, Target is simultaneously making bad press for itself and alienating customers and potential customers.

Speaking of kerfuffles...

I recently used the word "kerfuffle" in a sentence. Spell-check asked me if I meant "kafuffle." I had to admit I usually only use the word verbally and wasn't sure how it was spelled, so I looked it up using various free online dictionaries.

Kerfuffle is a word, according to World Wide Words and Merriam-Webster's (which points out it's original Scottish spelling, "carfuffle"). But sources like Urban Dictionary claim "kafuffle" is a perfectly valid word, too.

Setting aside the interesting and thorny problem of tracking the use and shaping of British expressions, I think it's interesting to note that in this day and age of free, user-driven information sources, incorrect spellings, abbreviations and slang will become just as valid as, or at least compete with, canonical interpretations of words and concepts. Certainly, we've seen this with Wikipedia and the like, and we're also familiar with the pros and cons of this approach.

Wottapalava. Or do I mean "what a palaver?"

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 12:21 PM
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October 02, 2007

AFI embraces the blogging community

I’ve been spending a lot of my free time recently reviewing the latest edition of the American Film Institute's Top 100 list, an update to the list they first created in 1997. What does this have to do with blogging? A lot. AFI has a blog.

While looking for the list online, I was pleasantly surprised with AFI’s web site. Not only do they feature podcasts (more like vlogging), photo galleries and more film buff information than the biggest critic would know what to do with. But what I enjoyed most was AFI’s blog, chronicling the Top 100 films included in their list.

While I’d love to see more posts since the content is so good, what’s posted is great. Not only are the posts well-written and make you want to update your Netflix queue as quickly as possible, each post highlights other movie blogs and chimes in on what the blogosphere is buzzing about. Take a look at this post for an example:

“When John Campea over at The Movie Blog said HALLOWEEN (1978) was a terrible movie, he received a response saying that the film was “A Classic.” Which begs the question, what makes a classic movie?”

I can only imagine how excited some of these blogs must be to log in at some point during their day and see an incoming link from AFI.

AFI gets it. The movie community online is huge, and their links to, and mentions of, other blogs definitely reflects their with-it attitude of the blogosphere.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:39 PM
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June 06, 2007

Tired of reading real blogs?

...Then try this vlog of deep thoughts, brought to you by Creed from NBC's "The Office." You can read all about his thoughts on rootbeer floats (yes, it does float), at www.creedthoughts.gov.www\creedthoughts.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 02:32 PM
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June 01, 2007

Leaks in the blogosphere

It’s no surprise that after Chicago radio station Q101 played an entire preview copy of former-Detroit rockers The White Stripes’ new album “Icky Thump” on Wednesday that radio rips of the unreleased album began making their way around the Internet(s). And it’s no surprise that a battle over musicians’ rights, fans’ rights and bloggers’ rights began.

For anyone unfamiliar with the drama, simply Google “Icky Thump leak.” The top results bring up angry posts from music bloggers irritated about the situation. “But stealing is wrong!” you say. It is. Very wrong. However, looking at their arguments, and what happened to one blogger in particular, is a case study in the ever-blurring line of what’s right and wrong in the blogosphere.

Product Shop NYC, a popular indie music blog, was shut down the same day the radio station leaked the album. Known for posting mp3s from upcoming releases, the author received a cease and desist letter from Warner Brothers telling him to take the tracks down after a web sheriff-esque site found the tracks. He did, but six hours later, his blog was shut down, to his surprise. Here’s what Jason, the author, had to say about the situation:

“Why did they choose to take action against me? I don't know. I complied with their request and did as they asked. I've been nothing but supportive of the White Stripes and will continue to support the band. I buy their records, spend a ton of money on concert tickets and have given them an absolute ton of free publicity by covering almost everything they've ever done.


Major labels are happy to send along a million press releases, update us on every single move a band makes, feed us into their machine, but if we show our support by exposing people to the actual music, then we get shut down?


People want to buy music. Not an image.”

Most major music bloggers, like The Modern Age, are in agreement that leaking the album by the radio station was wrong from the start, but are siding with Product Shop NYC.

“Sometimes I think Jack and the labels can be a little overzealous about hating some things (such as having Product Shop NYC shut down for linking to downloads of “Conquest” and “You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You’re Told)” AFTER they had removed the links by request of the label !!!!), but I gotta side with the man on this one–Q101 totally effed up on this.”

What does a situation like this mean for bloggers? It’s hard to tell, and often sounds like a “Do as I say, not as I post” scenario. Jason makes a very compelling point- his blog has been giving The White Stripes loads of free coverage for more than five years, and nobody, from the corporate level, seems to be complaining about that. But the minute he gives the people (the fans) what they want, his blog is shut down.

This story is hardly new- car companies are constantly dealing with car blogs and “spy” product photos posted before embargo dates have passed. But the leaked White Stripes album is a good example of something I believe we’re going to see happen more frequently with bloggers as mainstream media outlets, like Warner Brothers, expect the blogosphere to adhere to the same standards that traditional publications, journalists and even radio stations (unlike Q101) have been expected to follow.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 05:10 PM
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February 13, 2007

More companies try web exclusive content

By Charlie Kondek

Recently, a few promotions have appeared recently in which the content is exclusively online. Here’s one that caught my eye:

A Vancouver real estate company has a series of web-only online films called "Donovan Life". I've been a big fan of this idea ever since BMW made a series of web-exclusive films with big-name directors to promote its vehicles. This was called "The Hire" and starred a then-little-known Clive Owen as a two-fisted driver in a series of slick chase movies. (No longer available at the BMW site, but much of it can be found at YouTube, of course.) "Donovan Life" is about life at a downtown luxury condo project helmed by a "local rising young star," Robert Evan Larry. With this one, even though I'm not personally interested in the subject matter, I like the web exclusivity and its tie-in to Vancouver through Larry.

This is just one example of web-exclusive promotions. As communicators get savvier at developing content for the web, we can expect more of this, and better content. Now if we can only do something about those awkward, sluggish load times...

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 03:52 PM
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February 09, 2007

Perez Hilton 1, CNN 0

By Melanie Seasons

Those of us who read blogs on a regular basis are probably all guilty of checking out some celebrity gossip blogs from time to time. The celebrity photos and humorous commentary make for entertaining reading. However, with the untimely death of Anna Nicole Smith, gossip blogs took on a new role: breaking news source.

Around 2 p.m. yesterday, the top headline on The Superficial was "Anna Nicole Smith rushed to the hospital," several minutes later the headline was updated to "Anna Nicole Smith rushed to the hospital is dead." Being a frequent visitor of the blog, I saw the post and immediately clicked over to CNN — which I expected to have more accurate, up-to-date information. There was nothing there. It took several minutes for both CNN and MSNBC to post a story on her death.

Since their inception, gossip blogs have received a lot negative attention, mostly because of their association with the paparazzi and slanderous comments of those in the public eye. Take, for example, Tyra Banks.

Recently, a paparazzi photo of Banks was published online, showing the supermodel on a beach in Australia looking a little more "husky" than usual. Soon every gossip blog on the Internet was calling her names like “Tyra Porkchop,” "America's Next Top Waddle" and "Thigh-ra Banks." The picture disseminated through the blogosphere so quickly that Banks went on the offensive. She spoke about the ordeal on her talk show, referencing this post on Perez Hilton. Her diatribe was posted on You Tube and she made her way through the blogosphere once again.

In general, tabloids seem to be a guilty pleasure for a lot of readers and gossip blogs make it much easier for people to get their celebrity dirt with out the embarrassment of picking up an issue of US Weekly in the grocery checkout line. But yesterday, I started to wonder if the gossip blog goes beyond "guilty pleasure." These sites proved that they can get a story out faster than some of the largest news sites in the country. That's got to count for something, right?

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 05:10 PM
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October 03, 2006

Blogging to promote your site

Flickr, the online photo-sharing site, continues to grow in popularity, with more faithful members and photos being added by the minute. Flickr launched its blog back in December 2005, and has been using it to not only provide Flickr-related updates, but to showcase some of the site's cool tools and great photography.

Take a look at this post from Flickr guru Heather Champ. This post provides the right mix of information for the aspiring photographer and all-around cool things to look at for those new to Flickr. Champ links to various photo sets from members, searches for new pictures tagged with a specific phrase, and provides a link to a Newsweek article touting the latest Flickr tool, geo tagging.

Some of my favorite posts are the Flickr Samplrs, a collection of eye-catching photos from members. A feature like this helps showcase what makes the site unique and might even introduce someone to a new photographer to add as a contact. There's a lot to look at in Flickr, and this feature helps the site promote itself right there on the blog.

I started reading Flickr's blog not too long ago when I found out they posted about new tricks and tips with outside tools, such as fd's Flickr Toys. I found out about geo tagging right away and started applying the tags to my own photos.

Flickr's blog could have a very corporate tone to it: site updates, news from "officials" or just press mentions, but it doesn't. Instead, it has an extremely relaxed feel about it, just like Flickr itself.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 04:15 PM
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September 20, 2006

Gawker launches Idolator

Despite having shut down two of its blogs earlier this summer, Gawker recently launched Idolator to music fans tired of snobby, indie-music heavy musings.

"We're as obsessed with the music world as we are with the machinations behind it, and we'll cover the people who are manufacturing the latest band buzz, whether it's an old-guard standby (Rolling Stone), an absurdly powerful new-media turk (Pitchfork), or an agenda-pimping blogger (take your pick).

Of course, being music lovers ourselves, we also want to steer you in the direction of a good song or artist, which we'll do every day. We aim to be discerning, but not snobby. And every time we introduce you to a new artist, we promise to wait at least three months before starting our own backlash against them."

Unfortunately, after reading a few entries, Idolator seems to lack anything exciting in terms of content and is missing its focus when it comes to targeting a specific audience. For example, one post makes fun of Bryan Ferry's British Burberry ad campaign, while a few posts later the Idolator kids are talking about Justin Timberlake.

True music fans DO have a wide variety of likes and interests, but I've yet to find a JT fan who enjoys Roxy Music just as much. Focusing on one type of music or genre might be a better way to go.

Where Idolator continues to go wrong is with the underlying snarky tone the writers convey through their posts. It takes just a few minutes of reading to realize Idolator doesn't like indie music's most well-known bloggers, such as Pitchfork, which is unfortunate considering they claim to not be snobby in their opening manifesto. A post touting their testimonials doesn't do much to help that tone, either. This commenter's feelings on Idolator over at Oh World sums up exactly how I feel about the launch:

"The thing about blogs like Idolator is that what good does it do to just complain about Pitchfork? They should be doing something about the supposed state of music journalism. Don’t just whine and moan and snark—that’s the gimmick of more than enough bloggers and music “journalists” already. Put out great content for the love of the game and the rest will come.

The sad fact, though, is that Idolator will find an immediate and likely steady audience and cats trying to break into the game still struggle to get their work read by their mommas."

Idolator does have some funny components to it, such as a post rating the top five greatest public access music videos of all time. A post providing links to new music tech sites was useful to read.

If Idolator can come up with their ideal target audience, they're set to develop loyal readers and piggy-back off the popularity of their owner, the Gawker Media empire.

Posted by Alicia Dorset at 02:25 PM
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March 08, 2006

Wal-Mart’s blog strategy

I’ve seen two stories in the New York Times in the last few weeks about how Wal-Mart is using blogs and their like in communications efforts.

1. Three weeks ago, Steven Greenhouse and Michael Barbaro (the story was also reprinted in the International Herald Tribune ) looked at Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott’s communications with his employees in a confidential internal web site called “Lee’s Garage.” Scott solicits employee questions and answers one every week or two. The Times also posted PDFs of three years’ worth of Lee’s Garage, supplied to it by Wal-Mart Watch, who got them from a disgruntled manager.

Scott’s communications to employees are pretty frank. For example, he suggested to a store manager who pointedly asked why Wal-Mart couldn’t offer retirees medical benefits that the manager might be better off seeking employment elsewhere. I see two lessons here: Never assume that an internal publication will remain secret. And perhaps it's just as well Lee Scott doesn't have a public blog, where the questions would be tougher still.

2. The Times’s Barbaro wrote yesterday that Wal-Mart is including bloggers in its media relations strategies, counseled by the PR firm Edelman. Let’s start out by saying that our BlogWorks practice reaches out to bloggers on behalf of clients to promote products and news. It’s a big new media world out there, and corporate communicators need to jump in. The Times rap is that some bloggers seem to be cutting and pasting Wal-Mart news directly into their blogs. Blogger Brian Pickrell says the Times piece is biased, but leaving that aside, I’ve gotta say, Hey, is this this news? Anybody who’s spent any time in a small-market newsroom knows that the never-ending search for fresh news often leads to cutting and pasting, or using video or audio news releases without attribution. It’s not good journalism, it’s sausage-making. But it happens.

Likewise, there are many publications with diligent reporters, editors and fact-checkers, and bloggers who wouldn't dream of pasting anyone's corporate spiel into their blog. Doubtless, some of those bloggers received and ignored the Wal-Mart pitch about health care.

In his blog, Edelman CEO Dick Edelman writes about the Wal-Mart stories, “Of course we give information to bloggers, just as PR people for generations have done with print media, and I'm a little surprised that the print and broadcast media are surprised.”

And a Slashdot poster wrote: “The interesting thing in this story is not so much the astroturfing, which is old news, but the transformation of blogging from a personal statement to a corporate bullhorn. The bloggers mentioned in the story, who presumably are able to articulate their own opinions, received Wal-Mart email and began to simply copy the PR text into the blogs. What is the use of a blog if bloggers are just going to copy sentences and sentiments from the puppetmaster's email?"

Well said. How about if we flacks keep trying to tell our clients’ stories, while bloggers and reporters keep using their best judgment?

Posted by Laurie Mayers at 01:53 PM
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January 12, 2006

Best blog post ever

Jeneane Sessum writes "The Top Ten Lies of Blogging Consultants." Excellent list. Hugh MacLeod has 10 blogger lies, followed by 43 comments and other suggestions. Here are a few more consultant lies:

1. Every corporation should have an executive blog.
   As long as you have a fascinating executive, a thick skin and a great product.
2. Business blogging is huge. We're hoping to get a client soon.
3. Our Powerpoint, downloadable for $149, spells out our 10 rules for corporate blogging.
   We're making this up as we go, just like everyone else.
4. We have a comprehensive employee blogging policy.
   We haven't caught anyone posting nude photos yet.
5. As I was saying to Scoble last week ...
   I heard him speak at the last conference.
6. We can do a corporate blog for you.
   We'll show you GM's FastLane blog and duplicate it.

Posted by at 10:14 AM
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November 23, 2005

Everybody loves Dilbert

Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, has a blog that's a couple of months old and it's a big hit. The blog has hundreds of comments, and Adams talks about everything from his comic strips to bottled water to deviated septums.

Recently, he hit the nail on the head about blogs.

If you are new to the Internet, allow me to explain how to debate in this medium. When one person makes any kind of statement, all you need to do is apply one of these methods to make it sound stupid. Then go on the offensive.

He names seven generalities that are hilarious, and the premise is absolutely true: No matter what you say on a blog and no matter how harmless you think it is, someone will be offended.

And that post was a respone to his original post - which had 607 comments - where he asked readers to tell him why he is stupid.

Corporate bloggers (and PR bloggers for that matter) should take a drink of the Dilbert Kool-Aid and remember that blogging can be fun, even when commenters aren't always positive.

Posted by at 09:49 AM
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September 16, 2005

Firestorm over Firehouse blog

Chrysler Group launched a blog this week for journalists only. TheFirehouse.biz blog is named after the extremely popular (can you say "free music, hot food and open bar"?) media-only party it hosts for several days during the North American International Auto Show at a Detroit firehouse. Its editorial director is Ed Garsten, formerly of CNN, The Associated Press and, most recently, The Detroit News’ GM beat.

The problem came when some bloggers who applied for admission were rejected. They got this e-mail (I got one, too):

Thanks for your interest in TheFirehouse.biz, the Chrysler Group's media-only blog. We will issue media registration rights to members of the working press only. A member of the working press is one who is paid as an employee, freelancer who regularly contributes, or representative of a known and established media organization (newspaper, magazine, television, radio, etc.) If you would like to resubmit your registration, we would be happy to reconsider it.

Note the list of legit media doesn’t include web sites or blogs, although Garsten said: "Yes, we do consider some blogs legitimate journalism and have granted access to those who regularly cover the auto industry." He also promises that "No one will ever be banished for negative comments or negative stories."

Adrants, B.L. Ochman, Diva Marketing and Chris Houchens were not kind. Adrants called it "completely illogical and non-sensical," and Houchens lumped it in with the notorious fake blogs by Captain Morgan and Juicy Fruit. (On the other hand, Topaz Partners gave Chrysler credit for focusing its first blogging effort on a selected audience.)

Chrysler Communications VP Jason Vines answered on The Firehouse.biz:

The Firehouse.biz is a chance to have an open dialogue with journalists who report on our company and the industry and who literally bombard us with their comments, questions, rants and bad jokes. Unlike our media site, which is a one-way deal, The Firehouse.biz is a two-way street that goes off the page of the press release and allows reporters to vent, probe, attack, while we get a chance to respond on the fly from anywhere in the world and maybe hose down some rumors, or douse the idiotic rants from someone who is uninformed.

In fact, a blog might be the right tool to accomplish those tasks. But surely you’re inviting trouble when you publicize your blog and link to it from your media site, then restrict access so severely.

Vines, whose former jobs include standup comedian and top flack for Ford executive Jac Nasser, also notes on the blog that:

Everything we say in TheFirehouse.biz is on the record, so you’re all free to use anything posted by me or our executives in a story or broadcast. All I ask in return from the media, is please, no X-rated stuff. I get enough of that in my email box … and I’m trying to get my mother to stop. Also … in the spirit of keeping things open and honest, we’d prefer you use your real names when you submit a comment or question. You can use a screen name if you like, but then how would I know to leave you off the list for the holiday party? Finally, we’ll never edit your submissions, but we’ll only post those that stay on the topic and agree with everything I say. That last part’s not true.

So far, only three journalists have left comments on The Firehouse.biz. But there are already seven links to it on Technorati.

Posted by Laurie Mayers at 02:33 PM
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September 14, 2005

Wal-Mart hits, Humane Society's misses opportunity

Wal-Mart has a new blog that tells stories of how its employees and stores are helping Hurricane Katrina victims. For example, Wal-Mart employee Shannon Hampton came up with the idea of creating a storm victim registry, like a wedding registry, so friends and relatives can help resupply storm victims with the items they need. The blog doesn't allow comments, but it's a step in the right direction for a company with so many image problems.

This could be the tip of the iceberg for Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart could use a blog to take its critics head-on. Or it could report on progress at the experimental store in Texas that is helping with enviromental sustainability. The company should take a deep breath, however, and allow comments.

Another well-meaning hurricane blog misses an opportunity. Laura Bevan, incident commander of the Humane Society's National Disaster Animal Response Teams in Mississippi, has a journal on the Humane Society's Web site.

Sadly, the journal only has two entries. I'm sure her work is unbelievably time-consuming and tiring and she doesn't have time to update it. But who wouldn't want to read about her challenges? What an easy way to get the word out and help increase donations.

A ray of hope, however: the Humane Society is recognizing blogs in another way. On the home page, it says "Have your own blog or website? Download a banner here."

Posted by at 08:24 AM
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August 18, 2005

Do looks count?

I’m at the Blog Business Summit in San Francisco on a borrowed laptop that hasn’t cooperated well with the free WiFi system provided by AnchorFree. I finally got connected after two hours. And one more rant: hitting the “L” on this keyboard requires a heavy hand, so please forgive me if my typing ooks ike this (ironically, that turns "blogs" into "bogs").

The second session this morning focused on blog design, with DL Byron, of Textura Design and pugblog.com, and Chris Brownrigg of Boeing.

“Does design matter? Yes, even more so now, because content is king,” Byron said.

Brownrigg is the Boeing employee who designed Randy Baseler's blog with XHTML. Because Boeing wanted the site up quickly and Brownrigg wasn't a blogger, Brownrigg didn’t use blogging software but hand-coded each page and built each archive page by hand. The calendar was a .gif that had to be manually updated and image-mapped. Boeing later brought Byron in for knowledge about blog-publishing tools and did a redesign.

Interesting fact: The site is called Randy’s Journal because Boeing was uncomfortable with the term "blog." But Brownrigg put "blog" in each page title so if people searched for Boeing blog, Google would find it.

“We took no comments at first, then added an email link – we got flamed and peopled asked ‘Why can’t you use a comment system?' ” Brownrigg said.

The site now uses Movable Type and has RSS feeds, permalinks and comments. But Brownrigg said don’t expect a dialogue within those comments. "Randy is never going to answer his comments – he’s too frickin’ busy," he said.

Technorati tags: bbs05, blogbusinesssummit

Posted by at 04:18 PM
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August 01, 2005

Polarization is good

By David Binkowski

A few weeks ago I attended and presented at Ad:Tech in Chicago and was moved. While several of the sessions were informative, there was one that was truly inspirational. In fact, after this keynote speaker's session, I immediately went to my laptop and e-mailed him for a copy of his presentation.

Guy Kawasaki's presentation, "Rules for the Revolutionary Marketer," took me back to my college days as a management student studying entrepreneurship. I listened to his rules and got giddy. The rule was simple: Polarize people.

Let me explain.

In an earlier post I wrote about how consumers feel about your blog, which should be an extension of your brand. Let's recap: Think about a product, then how that product makes you feel. Can't think of any? Then that brand or company isn't top of mind, and to take it a step further into your psyche -- you're not loyal to that brand.

So in essence, that company or brand doesn't polarize people. Love Apple or hate Apple, they sure do have some loyal customers. Love Starbucks or hate it, same deal. Nike has the same "problem".

So let's build a checklist of companies that are Revolutionaries. Apple. Starbucks. Nike. GM. Since GM is a client, I'd like to focus on 2 recent products that are polarizing people: Chevy SSR and Pontiac Solstice.

A husband and wife team recently reviewed the SSR, with one hating it and one loving it. Captain, we have polarization.

The Solstice conversations on the GM Fastlane Blog are filled with words like "love" and "want." Mission accomplished.

We know the 10 Commandments to blogging, and I'd like to add one of Guy's polarization rules to that list. Don't be afraid to speak your mind and stand up for what you believe. Sure, it might turn off a few people - but you're more likely to gain the respect of those who disagree and inspire those who are already on your side.

And I think Guy Kawasaki and corporate bloggers like Bob Lutz are OK with that.

Posted by staff at 09:12 AM
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June 24, 2005

Coursey Misses the Point on Podcasting

By Christy Brewer

David Coursey writes that podcasting is going to be a loser. The tease to his article on publish.com admits that his arguments are vague, but he gives it a shot. He begins by talking about the technical difficulties iTunes has had, comparing to competing Windows Media and Real formats.

His big point in “calling the loser” is his claim that podcasting will not make it as a mass medium. Now, he admits that he’s good at calling losers, but I think he’s missing the point. He likens the flood of podcasts to the launch of just about every electronic communication medium: the flurry of people who start providing content, followed by the resulting plunge as they lose interest. It happened with desktop publishing, web sites, blogs, and now podcasting.

Is that a reason to call the technology a loser? Is that a reason for a company to dismiss podcasting as a valuable communication channel? Podcasting makes it easier for companies to publish audio – speeches, reporting calls, and even product announcements. Sure, everyone rushed in to desktop publishing and web sites, too, but the technology became refined and those who used it best came out on top. And so we should see the same with blogs and podcasting.

Seen strictly as a technology, it’s another tool. And, to quote Coursey, “… the tools give way to human intellect.” Companies who are smart will see this as another tool in the box, not a bet-all scenario.

Posted by staff at 01:50 PM
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June 20, 2005

How to get your name in the paper

CNet has an article with the top 10 ways to get your name in the paper. These tips are also good for blogging.

Rarely claim to be first.
Don't make up words.
Leak like crazy.

Writer Michael Kanellos also tells people not to call him and sound too familiar, using only one name. "This is not Middle Earth, where a first name and a tribal association--I am Mandor, son of Blanc + Otis--will suffice for identification purposes".

A bonus for PR: he says you can contact him repeatedly with different pitches. "Reporters have about the same attention span as a house cat. Most of us have difficulty remembering what we did two days ago."

To add to the list: Don't put your name as a contact if you're not available. When I was a reporter, I can't tell you how many times I've seen a press release, called the person listed on it only to get an out of office voicemail or better yet, vacation voicemail.

And while we're on the subject of pet peeves, here's my biggest: if you have a corporate Web site, put your contact information on it! A simple phone number and address is all I'm asking for. What happens when your email bounces back or the contact form isn't working? A phone number. Amazing how many times it's overlooked.

(Via Media Orchard)

Posted by at 10:06 AM
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June 02, 2005

Blogs as a Recruiting Tool

By David Binkowski

We've talked about CEOs. We've talked about the Pope. And we've talked about politicians. In what probably won't be the last discussion on who should and shouldn't blog, I want to ask: Should employees blog? Short answer? Yes.

Sure, there have been a lot of stories about people getting fired over blogging. Yahoo's guide to employee blogging was recently released, letting their employees know that "obscene" comments, proprietary information and the like are not acceptable. Blogger offers a similar resource. Rather than focus on the negative, I'd like to think how a blog can HELP employees.

We know that HR people Google potential employees. One story that I heard was that a person applying for a job at a company included a link to their web site to demonstrate that they had web programming and design experience. They didn't mention that it was a soft-core nude modeling web site, but I digress (by the way, this person got the job -- and I'm sure a few strange looks during the interview).

So what could a HR person learn from a potential employee's blog? I'd say it shows insight into their personality, the way they think, and their creativity. It demonstrates their ability to express themselves (the anti-group thinker! Oh, no!) and even gives insight into their writing skills. It shows that, as crude as some blog publishing systems are, they have a basic understanding of technology.

You can also learn whether or not an employee is the type of person that has the potential to suggest new ideas -- an outside perspective, if you will. Heck, some companies pay top dollar for that! Companies that stay ahead do so because of innovation. So let me ask you this -- wouldn't you prefer to have your company filled with those type of people?

Posted by staff at 02:35 PM
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May 06, 2005

Learning with automotive blogs

Rick Haglund at Michigan Live has an automotive blog. However, he's missing some key elements –RSS feeds and comments. His posts are on target – bloglike and conversational – but it's a one-sided conversation. The site is owned by advance.net – of which prominent blogger Jeff Jarvis is president and creative director. Although I do see where a newspaper's web site would have to stretch its resources to moderate comments, I don't see this blog in particular generating nasty feedback.

One of my favorite blogs is Autoblog. They update the site constantly (is there such a thing as too much from a blog?) and the readers are right there with them, commenting on every item.

Posted by at 09:17 AM
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