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I'm sure this has been posted all over, but if you haven't seen it, check it out:
We need to act on Net Neutrality. We've already lost some pretty big battles. Go to savetheinternet.com and join the fight. - Paul Herring
Recently, John Keehler posted on his RandomCulture blog about The Ford "Bold Moves" campaign, which incorporates video documentaries, "expert" commentary, and user talkback. In one of the sidebars, Ford uses a Yahoo! news engine to deliver what's happening in the news at this very moment.
The big news, at this time, is S&P's decision to downgrade Ford's credit rating once again further down into "junk" status.
Ouch.
That aside, I stand amazed at this decision. They are publishing praise as well as highly critical comments. People apparently feel very passionately about American ingenuity, one way or the other, and (if there is a consensus) the consensus seems to be that people want Ford to succeed, but they don't have faith in their quality, designs, or practicality.
I don't think having them watch a documentary is going to change that view.
But maybe I'm wrong. This is certainly generating a lot of attention, and the decision to allow users to lambaste Ford may give the Detroit company a chance to hear the straight scoop from the consumers, unfiltered by the marketing yes-men that they may fear surrounds them. If that is their true goal (and that's a big "if") then I would be very impressed.
However, after a couple of decades of watching Detroit using our guilt and government regulations to prevent us from buying the available less expensive, higher quality imports, I would also be very surprised. - Cam Beck
One of the issues that all internet marketing agencies are dealing with is finding the right people. During the dot comm boom people many people were hired immediately without even understanding what they'd be doing. With the bust, a lot of good people were left out of work for a long time.
Now that the entire industry is growing rapidly, again, finding people is becoming a real problem. It's limiting growth and opportunity.
I thought it would be interesting to find out how people find jobs, how happy they are in their current positions and what things affect that happiness.
Please take our survey and let us know about you. All answers are anonymous and we'll share the results of the survey on this blog when it's complete. Feel free to link to it from your blog. The more people that complete it, the better the data will be. - Paul Herring
Update: Not a lot of people took the survey. There's not much use in releasing the results if fewer than twenty people took it. I don't know why people would be reluctant? Leave a comment and let me know.
Here's another new website we just launched by Click Here - Pretzelperfect.com, a site promoting pretzel purveyor Auntie Anne's Tongue Twister contest. Kids across the nation are being encouraged to say “Picky Pretzel People Pick Pretzel Perfect Pretzels” as precisely and passionately as possible for a chance to win a $2,500 scholarship, a $500 shopping spree and a year’s supply of Auntie Anne’s pretzels. They can either submit a video or DVD of themselves reciting it, or come into a local participating Auntie Anne’s and let staff do the judging. (Mall locations, event dates and times are posted on the site.)
Check out the video clips of some of the kids who have attempted the tongue twister.
Kids ages 6 to 12 have until July 23 to submit their entry, and will receive a bookmark that includes a voucher for a free Auntie Anne’s pretzel. Auntie Anne’s will also donate one book per entry to the child’s school library. The grand prize winner will be announced August 14, along with 20 national finalists who will each receive a pretzel perfect party for their class and a $20 gift card.
The Pretzel Perfect site has all the details and contest entry information.
Here's a link to the press release we put together about the contest and website we built to support it. Let us know what you think ...
- Harley Jebens
Click Here, the company that I and the other Chaos Scenario posters work for, has just launched a website you may be interested in checking out.
The DREAM Fund is a nonprofit foundation whose goal is to aid colleagues in the advertising, public relations and media communities in the southweste U.S. when catastrophic injury or loss strikes.
Click Here helped revamp the foundation's website, the just-launched dreamfund.org. DREAM Fund's goal is a worthy one, and we were all proud to be able to help put this website together.
Regarding Click Here’s involvement in designing and producing the new site, Click Here Principal (and Chaos Scenario poster) Pete Lerma said, “We had the opportunity to witness firsthand the good this organization was capable of when one of our own was diagnosed with a terminal disease. DREAM Fund took care of her bills (quickly) and provided support for her in such a caring and compassionate way that everyone was moved by her experience. We were honored to be able to contribute our resources and time to help DREAM Fund help others like her in their time of need.”
Here's a link to the press release we put together about the site.
Take a look and tell us what you think.
- Harley Jebens
I had issues with Yahoo! yesterday. I use Yahoo's instant messenger, as well as others. I received a message yesterday from the messenger asking if I wanted to upgrade. I'm thinking, sure, I've been wanting to try out the phone and web cam features on Yahoo, Click Here (where I work) has created some cool IMnvironments for some of our clients, why not? Somewhere through the process I downloaded the Yahoo! toolbar. I know I didn't check a box asking for it and it didn't even asked for my permission to install it.
I was able to get rid of it but it still sucks. Companies that are in very visible, leadership positions on the Internet shouldn't be involved in this kind of evil activity. In my mind this is no different than installing spyware, automatically checking an email opt-in or purchasing search terms that have nothing to do with the actual product or serviced offered. They fool customers into being marketed to, which is evil. What's really bad about this is that it's not done by some shyster in some third world country, but by a trusted leader on the internet. It's this kind of thing that continues to make people feel slimy about internet marketing and marketing in general. This needs to be stopped. I'm not sure who to contact at Yahoo!, they're not exactly up front about providing support email addresses and/or phone numbers. If you know how to reach them, post a comment. Or better yet, post an entry on your own blog coming down on this type of evilness. Unless we put pressure on these guys (more pressure than I can put on them), it will continue to happen - Paul Herring
Looks like NBC is going to be advertising on YouTube. According to the Hollywood reporter, NBC will provide promotional clips on a number of its new shows as well as purchase advertising and plug the alliance on air. This from the same network that less than a year ago made YouTube take off the SNL Lazy Sunday short? Hopefully NBC will be able to take criticism for it's upcoming shows because they're bound to get it. And, if a show was really good, wouldn't it quickly appear on YouTube anyways? Hopefully both advertisers and content providers are beginning to realize that, if you're going to put it on the airwaves, putting out or allowing it to be put out on YouTube only makes sense. (link via MicroPersuasion) - Paul Herring
I recently attended an event put on by the Online Publishers Association (OPA). The event was called "A Day in the Life." The purpose of the event was to share some research they'd conducted about the average Internet user in America. They did an ethnographic study monitoring people and their media consumption habits for 13 hours a day over several days. Many of the findings were expected. However, the approach they took was interesting. Specifically, looking at media consumtion in terms of reach and duration. They found that Internet was second only to television in duration or time spent. And it was just behind radio in reach, but significantly behind television in that category. They also drew some conslusions about concurrent exposure, which is the idea that people are often exposed to mulitple media at one time. Here is a link to the presentation. Check it out. - Pete Lerma
What in the heck is going on at Folgers? Saatchi & Saatchi have launched a new campaign for them, and it's kind of a freak fest. First take a look at the commercial:
Funny, but also scary. Then there is the web site, toleratemornings.com. Lot's of downloads that are, again funny, but I'm not sure I want something on my computer from the people in the yellow suits with butterflies in their mouths. There's wake up calls that you can send to yourself or friends. They freak me out as well. Then there is the print ad. 
(click to see the whole thing)
Not sure what the strategy is here except, keep them guessing and freak them out. - Paul Herring
On my way to work this morning, the host of the radio station I frequently listen to was talking about a new trend among employers to use MySpace as a screening tool for potential employees. While the apparent ubiquity that engenders this kind of activity is good news for the Internet company, it also might cause people to think twice before setting up a profile.
My advice? Don't wait. Pick your profile now.
Think of it as damage control.
When you're looking for a job, you're selling your talent, your skills, and yes, your character. And if you, like the rest of us, happen to have done something stupid in your life, at least you will have either prevented anyone from airing your dirty laundry online, or you will be able to portray another side of yourself that the offender wasn't interested in exploring when he or she sought revenge.
Eventually MySpace is going to have to come up with a more effective way to deal with this sort of behavior. And while I'm not suggesting we should pass legislation to regulate MySpace (regulation rarely increases innovation), the market will punish MySpace when a competitor comes along that is able to do a better job. - Cam Beck
