ChaosScenario

Is the CIA Following My Facebook Account?

Interesting post today on ConversationAgent about privacy concerns on Facebook.  The video (below) is dated 2006, so there definitely needs to be more digging here, but it surely will raise your intrigue if you have an account. Here are my initial thoughts:

1. The creepy voiceover, which I assume is the same person that did the initial legwork, unfortunately reminds me more of fear-mongering than someone who is unveiling a deep dark secret.
2. I know that you can say I drink the Kool-aid, but much like Google, I just don't see Facebook selling out on their ridiculously loyal users.
3. Let's say the worst possible scenario happens and everything I post on my Facebook account is being reviewed by the CIA...umm...ok.  Maybe I just don't have anything to hide but it wouldn't bother me if they saw pictures of my trip to Guatemala or the fact that I went to Texas A&M.  I understand that privacy groups would say that is just the tip of the iceberg, but I generally just don't feel threatened by this.

What do you think? - John Herrington

Join the Junoverse

"This is one diddle that can't be undone, Homeskillet."  Within the first 10 minutes of the movie, Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrutte from the Office) explains this to the main character, Juno, who is 16 years old and is shaking her pregnancy test to see if the lines will disappear.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a sneak preview for the movie, Juno, at the Angelika film center in Dallas.  My wife had received the free tickets from her work and I was just so excited about the "free" part that I didn't have a clue what we were going to see.  As we entered the theater we were searched for any cameras and watched as others were told to take their cellphones back to their cars before they would be allowed in  Since the movie isn't going to be released until December this seemed fine by me, but who would watch a movie recorded from someone's cellphone?  But I digress. After we were magic-wanded, we were asked what size we were so that we could be issued our promotional t-shirt.  On the front it simply said "Juno" and on the back was an etch-e-sketch and Wilson's classic "Homeskillet" one-liner.

We walked into the 100 person auditorium and found our seats.  Before the film started a Fox Searchlight rep came in to make an announcement.  He asked for a show of hands for how many of us had seen Napolean Dynamite.  Nearly everyone in the theater raised their hand.  Then he asked how many of us had seen it in the theater.  That's when the majority of the hands went back down.  "That", he said, "is why we need you guys to spread the word about Juno."  I thought to myself, "I'll spread the word if the movie is good, not because you guys gave me a free t-shirt." The rep then went on to explain how they have a fan website that will have a competition for who can earn the most points for the grand prize of having 100 of your friends attend a screening in your home town with the cast and a Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop Guitar.

After the explanation of how we can hype the movie before it is released they started the show.  It's funny that they mentioned Napolean Dynamite as Juno had a very similar indie feel to it. From the music, to the transition animations, to the way the casting director focused on new faces, this movie was right up my alley.  First things first, this movie was hilarious.  It drips of sarcastic dry one-liners from beginning to end.  The language isn't horrible but definitely coarse in places especially when you hear it coming out of a teenager's mouth. It made me cringe at times but that's most likely a fairly realistic representation of how kids in this age group talk in 2007.  The movie is centered around teenage pregnancy, relationships and how to cope with bad situations.  All in all, it has a really great message and I would encourage you to check it out.

As we walked out of the theater I started reading through the mailer that they were handing out.  There are many ways that someone can become the "Ruler of the Junoverse." Here are the ways you can earn points:

1. Sign up online, create your own profile and get your Junoverse ID Number at thejunoverse.com.
2. See the movie at an advance screening near you and get your card stamped-the more times you get it stamped, the more points you earn.
3. Refer your friends to join thejunoverse.com.
4. Post reviews, videoblogs, tshirt designs and songs to your profile.
5. Make JUNO your friend on MySpace and Facebook.  Let everyone know how awesome the movie is by posting the trailer to your pages.
6. Fill in your name, address and Junoverse ID Number on your screening card, give it to a Fox Searchlight representative at your screening, or stick a stamp on it and pop it in the mail!
7. Stay tuned to see if you're the winner of the hometown screening and Gibson guitar!

As much as I love to be called the "Ruler" of anything, I wasn't motivated enough to go through any of these 7 steps.  However, I was considering going to see the movie again since they gave us free tickets to the next screening, but wasn't able to go.  Instead we gave it to our brother and sister-in-law but they were turned away at the door because they already had too many people in the theater.  They promised to send tickets for them to see it at another time. 

It seems like word is spreading relatively quickly for this movie but I wonder how affective the interactive element will be for this campaign.  It seems like the best indie movies seem to never hit it big in the box office and instead have their cult following in DVD sales.  For example, I don't even remember Mike Judge's Office Space being in theaters but I don't know anyone my age that hasn't seen it.  The same can be said for Napolean Dynamite.   

I think at the end of the day there's really one question that as a marketer you need to ask yourself for this type of contest.

1. Is the reward worth it?
   
   I have my doubts about this one, but then again, maybe I'm not the target demographic that Fox is going for.  I just don't think meeting the cast is really that big of a deal especially since outside of Jennifer Garner there isn't a big name in the group.  My wife and I also talked about the fact that the verbiage for the grand prize is vague and says "with a special appearance by cast members" for the screening.  Notice it doesn't say "the whole cast" or "the entire cast."  This leads me to think that you'll have the no-name kids but not much beyond that.  In addition, I play guitar but the Gibson Les Paul just doesn't seem that great to me.

Regardless of the contest, I think this movie will do well, but if history can predict the future Juno won't be a box office hit. - John Herrington

Tweet Tweet

"Yikes - lithium battery in iPod nano caught fire in this guy's pocket" -- whatsnext
"Eyeglasses: I just found out I need glasses. This is a traumatic moment..." -- SethGodin
"There's an 18-wheeler going backwards on the exit ramp of I95, sweet!" -- JSutterfield

These are all typical tweets that you'll see from folks on Twitter.  After starting my own account this week and asking friends if they had their own accounts, I received a myriad of "Umm..what's that?" replies.  So here's the Cliff's Notes edition:

Twitter is a free social networking / micro-blogging hybrid where instead of providing paragraphs of copy you only have 140 characters to express yourself.  Each post is commonly known as a tweet and you can post from the site itself, SMS, IM, email and third party apps like Twitbin.  I described it to a friend as a giant IM session that never ends.

Over the last couple of months, Twitter and other micro-blogging sites have garnered quite a bit of exposure, especially after Google entered the fray by gobbling up Jaiku.

Adam Ostrow at Mashable.com had this to say on the matter:

This is somewhat surprising news considering the perceived dominance of Twitter in the so-called “lifestreaming” space. Additionally, Twitter is co-founded by Evan Williams, who was the creator of Blogger, which was previously acquired by Google. In a world where price is no object for Google, it’s interesting that they would opt for Jaiku and not Twitter.

Some from the Google-is-EVIL party have been screaming from their perch that this is one more move for Google to effectively know everything about everyone and thus take them one step closer to world domination through mobile communication.  I just say this is another way for Google to take a good product and make it even better for the people.  Maybe I'm swimming in the Kool-aid, but I digress.

After a week of using Twitter I can say that it is a great networking tool at the very least.  People are posting interesting nuggets all the time which lead to fascinating sites, great articles, or just random thoughts of genius.   News outlets like CNN, BBC, ESPN and the NYTimes and are using Twitter basically as an RSS stream while other companies are starting to use Twitter as a good medium for press releases.

You can expect to see more companies and agencies hopping into the mix over the coming months and start experimenting with how to message their core audience in a way that won't alienate them.  I think the key here is to be authentic and transparent, lest we forget frequent floggers like Sony and Wal-Mart.

If anyone has a list of good folks to follow on Twitter, I'm all ears. - John Herrington

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Now playing: All Time Low - Coffeeshop Soundtrack
via FoxyTunes   

The Most Useless Device on the Web

Remarkably, when I entered my "date of birth," no one came and checked my I.D.

Can you imagine what it would be like if the FCC applied the same principles used to govern alcohol-related websites to television content, including alcohol-related commercials played all the time during sporting events, that may be objectionable to minors?

Well, at least it made people feel better about themselves for doing something, even if what they "did" was completely ineffectual.

As an aside, the website shown here is actually pretty funny. There are some minor usability issues with it, but I'd say it was a pretty solid effort, both creatively and in its execution. Steinlager even invites participation from the community in its contest, and the results are available for the audience to see. Hat tip to Moda di Magno for pointing it out. - Cam Beck

How to Consume Your Media

How information exists.

How to consume it.

What's in your glass? - Cam Beck

Image by Richard.

P.S. For an explanation of the Z-List, please visit Gavin's post.

How to Become Irrelevant

The American Marketing Association has somehow managed to obfuscate the clear. With all the substantial pedigree they wield, this is the best definition (recently revised!) of marketing they could devise:

“Marketing is the activity, conducted by organizations and individuals, that operates through a set of institutions and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging market offerings that have value for customers, clients, marketers, and society at large.”

What's with the love affair with institutions and processes? Are we really so conceited that we believe only institutions and organizational processes are capable of producing the net result of what marketing is supposed to do?

Oh. But we're the professionals. And we're insecure. Thus, we need a definition that excludes the chaotic nature of consumer marketing that is pervasive in this age of YouTube, MySpace, Flickr, and blogs.

Hogwash.

Chaos is here, folks. We might not like it. We might be afraid of it. But we'd better learn to embrace it, or else the marketplace won't even bother to wave as it passes us by.

Hat tip to Diva Marketing Blog for publicizing this change. - Cam Beck

How Not to Fight an Information War

The AP reports that the Defense Department will stop allowing members of the Armed Forces to access sites like MySpace and YouTube, because it's causing quite a strain on the networks. I correspond regularly with Marines stationed overseas, and it's true that reliable access can be a problem -- particularly in places like Iraq, so I have no doubt what they're saying is true. If forced to choose between mission critical communications and video/social networking sites, the military has to choose the former. Lives literally depend on it.

However, I'd much rather they spend the time and money necessary to upgrade their networks to allow such access for several reasons.

1. It's good for morale. Being stationed overseas can leave members of the military with long stretches of boredom, and these tools give members of the military -- the rank and file -- a very real connection to their loved ones when there is some down time.
2. Positive reinforcement. Just as importantly (if not more so), if you believe the polls, the Iraq War is unpopular in the U.S. and abroad. U.S. citizens are bombarded with bad news, the latest death tolls, and hyperventilating pundits who spew irrational screed across the airwaves as well as the Internet (via sites like YouTube).
   
   Bad news sells. I get that. "New School Built in Iraq," isn't nearly as compelling as a headline as "School Blown Up in Iraq. Dozens Dead." Being committed to fighting a war that minimizes civilian casualties against an enemy that has no such qualms means there will always be more bad news than good, until the monsters can be weeded out.
   
   That takes time, and maintaining support for the war requires the world be made aware of the successes as well as the setbacks.
3. Diminishing capabilities. The DoD has another reason to figure out the bandwidth problem rather than shutting down access to the sites that have long load times. Video is becoming more and more prominent -- even on sites that aren't primarily about video. Eventually shutting down access to sites with video will be akin to blocking access to the Internet.

Fighting an information war against a decentralized enemy against the backdrop of national and international news organizations predisposed to reporting bad news requires that we also keep multiple channels open to communicate with the country. The Department of Defense is predisposed to controlling information flow from the top down -- and they have very good reasons for that.

But with this kind of war, where the marketplace is full of people who use these tools effectively to stir dissent (intentionally or not), the world's most robust and nimble fighting force needs to establish a way to be just as nimble in getting out the information in a way that is favorable to the accomplishment of their mission -- which cannot happen in a republic absent the support of the people, from whom power is justly derived. It is in the DoD's best interests to get the security issue resolved, so at least there is some mechanism in place for soldiers and Marines in the field to tell their story.

Perhaps the problem of expanding bandwidth capabilities has to do with getting adequate and reliable funding. I don't know. If they really have to choose between the Internet and bullets, in that situation, as much as I love the Internet and believe in the power of the tools it provides for marketing, I'm still betting that bullets are the better buy. - Cam Beck

The Fastest Texter in the U.S.

Morgan Pozgar, 13, of Claysburg, Pennsylvania recently won $25,000 from LG for being the fastest texter in America. To win, she took her merry time (15 whole seconds) to type a line from a famous Mary Poppins song into her mobile phone. This should come as a great relief to Morgan's parents, who have to foot the bill for her texting habit, which amounts to her sending 8,000 messages per month.

Let's hope that her plan includes unlimited text messages. Not including airtime, at five cents per message, assuming everyone responds when she texts, at that pace she'd burn up that $25k in three years or less. That also doesn't include the medical bills for repetitive stress disorder. - Cam Beck

What's Missing from Squidoo?

If I have a blog, why do I need a Squidoo lens?

It's a question I've been asking myself since my brother Gannon introduced me to Squidoo, Seth Godin's post-bust brainchild. It's a neat little idea. The lenses are easy to build, and if someone buys something off of your recommendation directly from your lens, you get a little kickback for it, or else the commission goes to charity. I now have two active lenses, I've spent several hours creating them, and I have raised a grand total of 30 cents for charity.

Woo hoo.

Lensmasters can recommend anything on Amazon.com or Overstock.com, which is to say they can recommend pretty much anything that is sold, they can add RSS feeds, links, lists, videos, and many other things that are available elsewhere on the web. It is a personal passion aggregation.

But I am having difficulty figuring out where Web 2.0 comes into all of this, and why Seth Godin is so high on it (other than an understandable emotional attachment to his own idea). Where is the community? Where's the social networking? And what is the benefit users get for participating? While it's possible that one day there could be a great payoff for aggregating content and recommendations like this, right now the buildup is so slow that this Fast Food Nation of ours probably doesn't have the patience or the wherewithal to see it through.

Absent any compensation, I don't mind collecting links and blog posts and book reviews for the sake of benefiting the public. That's one of the reasons I participate in several blogs. But since I can do that on the blogs, does that 30 cents I earned for charity provide enough of an incentive to build many lenses?

What's your opinion? How can Squidoo be improved? Please reserve your comments for constructive criticism. It's easy to lash out at one of the most influential marketing bloggers in existence; it's hard to make something that works.

If you need to lash out, though, you can lash out at my lens: Web Usability and Testing.

- Cam Beck

One Other Thing: If you've built a Squidoo lens, post the address. I'd love to see how other interactive marketers are using this medium, and I'm sure we could all profit from the discussion.

Busybodies and Thought Police

Back in July, I took a stand on Net Neutrality that ran contrary to what many of my blogging friends believed to be healthy for the future growth of the Internet. Giving way to my (small-l) libertarian leanings, I stated, "Tying up the Internet with needless regulations will only increase the costs of doing business and decrease accessibility."

Today TimesOnline.co.uk reports that the EU is considering legislation that would require amateur bloggers to become licensed in order to post videos online through services such as YouTube, under the pretext of "protecting the children." However, as the article goes on to point out, "British criminal law already covers material that might incite hate or cause harm to children..."

This is just one more practical example of the net effect of typical government regulation. Whether it sits in Europe, Africa, or the Americas, government rarely cedes regulatory power and authority it has already claimed for itself.

They say they're looking for a compromise. Let's hope common sense prevails. - Cam Beck