Turning Marketing on it's Head

It is becoming increasingly difficult to shove marketing messages down people's throats; and quite honestly, why would you want to do that?

I realize this notion is nothing new for those of us that subscribe to the tenets of permission based marketing, but sometimes I get the feeling we are still the minority.

Why not listen to the wants and needs of consumers and use them to create marketing materials that are actually of value, and relevant to our core consumers' lives?

Marketers have been listening to some degree for a while, using small focus groups. Today, social media and search engines make it easier to mine consumer insight; garnering more consumer data than ever before. In a sense, these channels make up the worlds largest listening center (focus group 2.0--to use an annoying moniker). We have the ability to listen to consumers like never before; so why are so many marketers not adopting these new ways of creating consumer driven marketing product? Is it inability, lack of awareness or is it just good old fashioned laziness; who knows.

Anyhow, in these troubled times (take a drink) marketers need to focus more on relevance than ever before; and that is one of the focuses of the video series produced by Paul Chaney and crew entitled; Nine Ways to Maximize Your Marketing Dollars During the Recession. In the video below I (and others, of course) talk about what I refer to as consumer influenced content.

While there are nine videos available, I am only featuring the one that I am in, because I am an egomaniac :) (believe what you will).

I hope you enjoy this video. Go check out the rest of them; there is gold in dem der hills!


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Gmail is Down For an Hour, Sound the Alarms (c'mon, gimme a break)


Image representing Gmail as depicted in CrunchBase
Image via CrunchBase


As much as I hate latching onto a topic such as this, I had to put my $.02 in about this one. Yes, Gmail went down (although I never noticed--in fact, when I saw people saying it was down, it was still working fine for me) for a short period of time and true to form the Twitterverse went crazy (I am not pointing fingers, I love our ability to keep brands honest, but sometimes it is a bit much).









The one thing that people need to remember is that Google is providing a service, much like Con Ed. When was the last time one of the following happened?

  1. You had a power outtage

  2. Your cable stopped working

  3. You lost hot water


These things happen all the time; the difference is, we pay for the above services, Gmail is free (well, this statement is not entirely true, as they are monetizing the service through advertising, but we need to give Google credit for finding a way to bring us a great service at no cost to us. I challenge Time Warner cable to do the same; my cable bill is absolutely ridiculous). On top of the fact that Gmail does not cost consumers money, Google has gone out of their way to make sure that you are able to access your data offline, and frequently reminds you to back your stuff up.

Sure, it is annoying when Gmail goes down, but cut the big G some slack--they provide a great service for free, right?

They did a pretty good job of getting the service back up, right?

Maybe this is my morning crankiness speaking--if you disagree, speak up, please!


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Lessons For Marketers

A while back I spoke at the New Marketing Summit. I did a number of interviews and for some reason, they are are all surfacing now. Here is one of them, enjoy!


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The End of Social Networking as We Know It (and I feel...)


Several mobile phones
Image via Wikipedia


Furthering my series of posts about mobile social networks, I would like to present you with some statistics:

  • Users accessing Facebook on their mobile phones spent on average 24 minutes on the site compared with 27.5 minutes daily by computer users (link to story)

  • Mobile phone users accessed the site on average 3.3 times per day, compared with 2.3 times for computer users, with the most avid mobile fans 18-24 year old males who spent on average 27 minutes on the site

  • According to a survey by Nielsen Company on behalf of Tellabs, 71% of U.S. consumers plan to use some sort of mobile data service daily (the company did not have current daily usage information). Among current mobile Internet users, 55% planned to increase their usage of mobile data services in the next two years, and 48% planned to increase use over the next year. Among non-users, 29% planned to start during that same period (link)


What have we learned:

  • Mobile data access is on the rise, therefore mobile social networks will also be on the rise

  • The mobile device is perfect for social networking. While the average time spent on Facebook on a mobile phone is less than on a PC, people access it more frequently


It is my opinion that the mobile phone will be used more frequently as the device of choice for social networking; it just makes sense. Access to your social network when you are in social environments is key; these networks are becoming more utility than entertainment.

Your mobile phone is your Yellow Pages, your little black book and your compass to help navigate the seas of your social life.
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The Future: Open or Closed

The past has shown us that walled media gardens simply do not work in an age where consumers have virtually unfettered access to media. This, in my opinion, is part of the reason that the Dataportability movement was essential.  If you do not give people access to use their data the way that they want, they will find another service or media outlet; lowered barriers to entry into the media and technology sectors have made it so there are plenty of alternatives for virtually everything.


Open





The OpenID logo

Image via Wikipedia




Facebook is beginning to realize this, and it seems their realization is leading them down a glorious path; the path to OpenID. While we are not certain what it will mean, Facebook has pledged support for OpenID; the protocol that allows users single sign in access across any part of the web that has adopted it. Facebook has already created a successful product called Connect, but this product is not completely open; it does not adhere to web standards, and only sites that have implemented it, can take advantage of it.


Closed





The entrance of the Apple Store on Fifth Avenu...

Image via Wikipedia




On the flip side, I heard some news today that made me cringe. Apple (the king of the closet) is denying access to Facebook from many of their retail outlets--what!?


Pretty bad, huh.


I realize that people are probably abusing Apple stores; hanging out and loitering, checking Facebook etc., but denying access to Facebook is not the solution. Take a look at Starbucks,where people are invited to loiter, in hopes they will buy a cup of joe. Sure, this is a little different a, s iPods and laptops are not impulse buys, but the idea of, Apple Store as experiential marketing is not something that Apple should be messing with. Honestly, I thought that was the whole point of the retail outlet to begin with.


Will the future of media and technology be open or closed; what do you think?


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Searching For Your Brand Position



Let's face it; search engines can easily make a commodity of a brand. Even when a brand team has done a great job of positioning a product in it's category, the points of differentiation and emotional connections built for the brand are dissolved due to factors such as discount retailers, aftermarket resellers and endless parity. Smart search marketing can help with this dilemma; however there is still a gaping chasm between the search education of many brand marketers; and the opportunities available to effectively define your brand through search engines.

The above is the number one result on the SERP (search engine results page) for the term, "whirlpool". If you are a brand manager at Whirlpool, you are probably giving your SEO team a high five for helping secure the number one spot for your brand name (well, it is becoming easier to rank first for your own brand name as the search space matures-the high five may have happened a few years ago).  While it is essential to rank number one for your brand name; it is by no means a win. In fact, the above listing probably does not come close to the actual brands positioning statement outlined by Whirlpool; and I am sure it is not how Whirlpool executives want consumers to connect with the brand.

Why is it that many brand managers do not see search copy as an important touchpoint?



Can you imagine if Whirlpool's positioning statement read like the search result above;

"Whirlpool makes major appliances for your whole home. Current appliance owners can download appliance literature, contact customer..."

I can only imagine what type of advertising campaigns that would lead to :)

In stark contrast to the brand message that Whirlpool is conveying in the search result we see above (it is obvious that Whirlpool did not intentionally create the search copy to communicate their core brand message; but in a 15-second-of-fame-world--you are how you are found), they have created this following commercial;



Is it just me, or does this  TV spot communicate something wholly different than the search result above? TV does a better job of conjuring human emotion, but does that mean a brand marketer should simply ignore how they are communicating via text?

The question I have for all of you is, when is it most important for a brand to be effective in its communications?

  • When a consumer is actively seeking a brand (search)

  • When a consumer is focused on something entirely different (TV Spot)


This may seem like a leading question, and for those of us in digital marketing, the answer may seem obvious; but if the answer is so obvious, why are we still seeing the type of disconnect exemplified in the case above?

Weigh in; I would love to hear your thoughts.
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How Google is Controlling Your Memory (and potentially your brand's reputation)

Google recently launched a number of experiments; two of the more compelling experiments (in my opinion) are the timeline view and the map view. On first glance, these may just seem like cool features-to me they are much more than that. A few things are being accomplished here:

  • Preservation of our history in a way that no text book has ever been able to achieve

    • History is often subject to the will of its teller; now we can read history through the words of many tellers, in an organized fashion-getting a well rounded story



  • Organization of relevant data into linear stories

  • Creation of visual elements to help tell the story (e.g. maps)

  • The ability to bring associations between your query and other relevant information to the forefront

    • The number one result for "Thomas Jefferson" always contained the information that he is buried on his Monticello estate, in Charlottesville, Virginia








Now we get that information much quicker due to the fact that it is brought to the immediate forefront in the form of a map.

Obviously, the implications of these experiments are tremendous for students and educators. The question is what does this mean for your brand?

1.       If you are not paying attention to your Google results because you are not interested in site traffic (I cannot imagine why you would not be interested in site traffic, but the way some brands do search marketing leads me to believe they don't really care), you may want to start paying attention to your search rankings for reputation management

a.       The history of your brand is being written; whether or not you help tell it



2.       Make sure that all of the information you want known about your brand is published on a well optimized, HTML/CSS driven page

3.       If you have local information about your business (retail stores etc.) make sure that you list that information in Google's Local Business Center

4.       Write a knol about your brand (not sure where this is headed, but just do it-it is a Google product and Google rules the world)

5.       Create your own Google Maps (again, not sure if Google is using user generated maps, but one day they might)

6.       Submit online press releases (PR Web, PR Newsire etc.) for all quasi monumental items related to your brand-if for no other reason, Google seems to like these and they get ranked; which makes your news official

7.       Along the same lines as number six, start a news page about your brand, and base it on a blog platform (Wordpress would be my suggestion)

8.       Distribute your content across the web-create outposts on information portals like Zimbo, Squidoo etc. I am not sold on the inherent value of these from a user perspective, but they still seem to be ranking fairly well

Bottom Line:

1.       Feed Google as much data as possible

2.       Distribute your data

I am sure there is a whole lot more you can do-I am waiting for the community to weigh in.
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The Future of Marketing, Today.

A lot of us in the new media/social media space have been talking about the fact that, the future of marketing will centered around co-creation and collaboration. I, for one, have been talking about co-creation and collaboration as key drivers of the future of marketing for quite a while. It is these concepts that sparked my love for Second Life.

Recently, crayon worked with client Panasonic in order to devise a program that allow brand marketers to directly interface with influential consumers. The program was designed to give these influential consumers a first hand look at new products, and allow them to talk to top Panasonic executives.

A few things came as a result of this experience:

  • Panasonic got a chance to directly hear from consumers (markets are conversations)

  • Influential consumers got an inside look at new products, and were able to disseminate information to their communities, in language that they understand (as opposed to tech marketing speak)

  • Influential consumers got a chance to take products home and show their families and friends cutting edge technology

  • A mass of content was created documenting the entire experience (content is still king)


All in all, I am proud of Panasonic for jumping into dangerous waters and having faith in the tenets of new marketing; and I am proud of my team at crayon for pulling off something very special. This initiative is a reminder of why I love what I do, and why I wake up thinking; "wow, I have the coolest f-cking career".
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Does The Verizon/Microsoft Deal Hurt The End User?

Last week we heard that Verizon has selected Microsoft to be the sole provider of mobile search and advertising solutions on the Verizon portal.

Upon hearing this news, I asked myself, "wow--that is a great deal for Microsoft, but is it good for Verizon? "

After a few days of thinking about it, I have some additional thoughts and questions:

  • Will mobile portals be relevant in a few years (to me, they are not relevant today)?

    • With the proliferation of advanced mobile operating systems (iPhone, Android etc.)? The notion of the mobile portal is slowly becoming irrelevant to more and more people

    • Will Verizon be able to provide a valuable experience for those users who do not own a mobile device with a slick OS? After all, once a user open's a browser, they are out of the confines of the Verizon's portal?

      • Have we not learned that closed portals don't work?





  • Will this deal diminish the user experience for those that still use the Verizon portal?

    • Microsoft search is an inferior product to Google; that is why people choose to use Google online

    • The integrated ad platform introduced may be good for media buyers, but is it good for consumers?




MIcrosoft's press release states the following:
The rapid adoption of a wide variety of data services and the substantial change in the way wireless customers use their devices is driving the need for new ways to organize and deliver the content customers want on their mobile devices.

This is certainly a true statement, however, unless Verizon begins to change their user interface to be similar to the type of experience users have begun to expect on their PC's, the above statement may cause more trouble for Verizon, than anything else.

Verizon is a Media Company

Just like Google, Verizon has become a media company. Verizon, however is not doing a great job of realizing their potential as such. There are many ways Verizon can expand their offerings online and in other channels, and create a more seemless, wholistic media experience for its users. It seems that Verizon is still largely stuck in their old service model; and in this model, Verizon will not be able to survive as a media company.

It will be interesting to see how this deal effects Verizon's business model.
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Dear Hulu



Dear Hulu,

Our love affair started shortly after you launched into this world. You were everything I ever wanted in streaming video, and more;

  • An angelic player that caressed me as I leaned back to watch online video

    • All the others are so brash--making me lean forward all the time

    • Also, you knew exactly when to turn the lights low



  • Ample programming

  • Sexy and sleek interface

  • Reasonable commercial slots,  that clearly stated how long they were to run for

    • generally under 15 seconds if I remember correctly




It seemed that you really understood the my nature, and the nature of online video. You seemed to know exactly where we were headed.  You catered to the wants and needs of an online man; and baby, I was your online man (and one who was in the ever-so-lucrative, hard to reach demographic- 25-34 male)!

I hooked up my mac to my plasma for you. I even canceled my dates with premium cable services, as I knew you were the only one for me.

But, oh Hulu; times have changed!

Maybe it is your parents (NBC) that are trying to rip us apart by placing the same, gut wrenchingly annoying ads three times in 20 minutes (have you seen the one for Edge Gel--"Lube Moistricants"!!! I may kill myself if I ever see that thing again; and you can bet I will never buy that product). If only your parents knew that I am happy to trade my time for our love; but a man can only stand so much!

..and another thing Hulu; where is your sense of adventure. You and your friends (the advertisers) could learn to try news things. I have thought of a few:

  • Sequenced messaging

    • I don't need you to yell the same things at me all the time. I heard you the first time. I feel like you don't listen; and the more you shout the same thing, the less I hear it.



  • In ad experiences

    • hey it is interactive, don't just show me that car, take me for a ride and drop me back in my show when we are done



  • Choose your sponsor

    • hey, it is working for Weatherbug



  • Hulu currency

    • skip ads if you take a quick survey--there are a lot of people out there looking for lead gen opportunities

    • build up currency, trade with friends

    • use currency to buy product



  • Conversational ads

    • show me a few elements of a product, and ask me what I want to know more about



  • If all else fails, charge me! I may just be willing to pay money to skip the torture that ensues when you remind me of my 30 second spot childhood


I am not the only one who sees the rift in this relationship. I was talking with my girls about us, and they had this to say:
"I agree 1000% percent. How did they miss the ad model boat on such a great product?" -Erin Wilson

"the worst part is that the ads are usually 300% louder than the movies (especially if you are watching something that is old) and it's just not a great experience all in all. Luckily, my laptop comes with a remote so I just mute the stuff from the comfort of my bed, but still: annoying. I'd rather pay a little for the service than have those ads...you can say that I bought netflix to make it thru my knee surgery instead of using them too. Part of that is selection but part is the noise thing." -Kate Bessiere

Well Hulu, I cannot deny the fact that I still love you and I know it is wrong to ask a partner to change; but if anything I have said here makes sense to you, and you feel we are meant to be together--well, it would make me the happiest geek on the planet.

I LOVE YOU HULU

Love,

your lil' hunny bunny bear

Adam
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Social Lead Generation Meets Cause Marketing



Question:

Social Outreach, Email Lead Generation and Cause Marketing?

Answer:

A new experiment by The Emerging Communications Conference.

My new friend Lee S. Dryburgh first approached me about the idea by telling me he had an idea for an experiment. His idea would help garner registration for the conference he is organizing, while at the same time do some social good; what could be bad about that!

I told him I loved the idea and that I would rely his efforts on to my community--so I am.

Here is how it works:

The goal is to achieve 10,000 sign-ups to the conference updates. For everyone who signs up for conference updates, eComm Media will pay 0.50 cents to The Shelter Network (charity watchdog rating here).

And Here Are the Calls To Action:

Instructions


I need help from two groups of people, the "social media gurus" and the rest of us!


The social media gurus I request help from are: Adam Broitman, Ayelet Noff, Ben Grossman, Brian Reich, Brian Solis, Carlos Hernandez, Chris Brogan, Chris Heuer, David Berkowitz, Eric Weaver, Gradon Tripp, Greg Verdino, Howard Greenstein, Laura Fitton, Jeff Pulver, Jeffrey Sass, Jeremiah Owyang, Jeremy Vaught, Jim Benson, Justin Levy, Rebecca Bollwitt, Robert Scoble, Robin Good, Steve Rubel, Susan Etlinger and Tim O'Reilly.


(if you would like to be added to this list or know somebody who should be by virtue of being considered a leader in the social media sphere please email me: Lee*eCommMedia*com).


I'd like the rest of us to blog this, Twitter this, email this to friends, IM it, Facebook share it, Digg it, Reddit - anything and everything across the social media space that you think could be effective.



Let's see what we can do!



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The Internetz: Kicking Newspaper's Azz Since 2008



The data is great news for internetz lovers everywhere--but the bottom line is, there is inherently nothing great about this, and it is hardly news. A few points:

  • I forget who it was that said it at a conference a few years back (earn A Media Circus points by providing this answer ) but, The New York Times does not think of itself as a Newspaper company; they are a media company

    • While I realize that NYT.com has not been able to make up for the lost newspaper revenue, we are still in a transition period.

    • How much do you think the New York Times positioning of, platform agnosticism has to do with this change?

      • (I am not speculating, I am really asking people's opinions)







  1. What do these numbers really tell us?

    1. Newspaper is dying

    2. The role of Newspaper is shifting

    3. People are becoming more eco-aware

    4. There is room for various types of media in our weekly consumption




I would say 2,3 and 4 are valid.

Newspaper will not go anywhere in my lifetime--I would bet the farm on that!

While this news is interesting, the real story is;

  • people are changing, and so are their media habits

  • we have more options than ever; let's celebrate

  • for some, it is still a cozy feeling to curl up on the couch with the Op-Ed section of the New York Times (print version)

  • Media is Media is Media

    • that last point may be meaningless, but hey--it is New Years!




Everyone: Have a great New Years Eve! There are some serious changes coming to A Media Circus in q1 2009 so--stay tuned!
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Santa Focuses On Bran Muffins and Soy Milk


PalmPilot, 1998
Image via Wikipedia


The digital age has been difficult for many marketers. All too often, marketers put the technological cart before the strategic horse. Facebook (and other social networks) is a breeding ground for campaigns that focus on the features of the platform, without telling a story.This is certainly not the fault of Facebook, rather it is the fault of marketers, who have not taken the time to internalize the meaning of community and conversation. It is the fault of those that thing technology, in and of itself, is the answer.

We must not forget that, in order to compel consumers, we must offer value--and that value needs to be delivered in the form of a story; advertising 101.

A few weeks ago Palm launched a campaign for it's Centro line call; Claüs. The campaign is unique for a number of reasons:

  • While the campaign has applications, they are not the centerpiece. Palm is not relying on the ever popular "viral nature of the social graph"

    • This campaign appears to be a viral success, as there are over 60k fans, and nearly a thousand wall posts--but it is apparent that the creators of this campaign new that it takes more than a one trick pony to ensure virality

      • Some of the content is good, come of the content is not as good, but overall, this is a fun campaign



    • The two applications that are offered, are not front and center



  • There is very little branding on the page (there is some, but it is not overwhelming)


  • Through various multimedia aspects, the brand tells a story in a nonlinear fashion

    • this gives people a reason to poke around the page and look for more pieces of the puzzle



  • Free downloadable music (I strongly recommend, Samba Dreidel)


Overall this is a fun and refreshing campaign. At a time when many marketers are already dismissing Facebook as a viable option, it is nice to see a truly creative effort that shows us, it is not the platform per se, it is how you use it!

Overall Scores:

Creativity: B+

Execution: A

Conversational Strategy: B

General Strategy: A-
Claus
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: social media)


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Digital Hollywood: Contextual Media & Advertising: Transforming and Redefining the Relationship Between the Consumer, Advertising and Media Platforms

 Jeremy Lockhorn, Director, Emerging Media and Video Innovation, AvenueA - Razorfish
Walker Jacobs, Senior Vice president, Turner Entertainment New Media Ad Sales
Arnie Gullov-Singh, Vice President, Advertising Technology Group, Fox Interactive Media
Michael Pond, Media Analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings
Scott Schiller, Senior Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer, Glam Media, Inc.
Federico Grosso, Senior Vice President, Business Development, blinkx
Doug Scott, Senior Partner, Executive Director, Mather Productions Branded Content & Entertainment, Ogilvy & Mather, Moderator



  • Constant challenge for brands and content creators to reach consumers


  • Where is the user experience going?

    • Schiller-- "It is like groundhogs day all over again"

    • The deportalization of the web

    • You need to connect with consumers on their own terms




  • "how can we identify audiences and match them with advertiser" -- Gullov- Singh

    • that is the key to social media. That is where consumers are going en masse

    • "one of the problems with web 1.0 was the two ends of the spectrum" mass and niche. There was a great gap in the middle. Social media can help



  • The Funnel-- Marketing 1.0


  • How is video coming into a text based Internet world?


    • "We are looking at social media less and less as a channel, more as an OS"-- Lockhorn

      • Video is part of that

      • Community driven interfacing with content






  • Blinkx

    • "We are at the crossroad of the audience, content owners and advertisers"

    • "Search is still a crucial tool for the web"-- Grosso --




  • Search Versus Discovery

    • How much should search be an implicit process



  • "The problem with the digital business is many technologists who create the solutions believe they have the answer because they have a cool technology"--Schiller


  • Ripe TV

    • reaching consumers on their terms



  • "What is magical about our business is our ability to be dynamic" --Jacobs

  • The inherent lack of targeting on TV

  • "I am not sure that on the internet, the quality of content is the same as TV" -- Schiller

  • Will the Internet be free?


Tags: , , ,

Digital Hollywood Day One

So here I am at Digital Hollywood. I flew in straight from Podcamp Boston 2 (which was a really great time). Part of me is cursing "conference season" and is already worn out, but a larger part is excited to learn and take party in the ever evolving digital space. I will be speaking on Wednesday with some really great people and cannot wait for that. If you are around, please come by and say hello. Half the value of these conferences are the people!



Session


Deconstructing Advertising: Making Choices in a Universe of Limitless Choice: Broadband, Social Networks, Mobile, TV, Cable, Games, VOD & ITV
Tim Hanlon, Senior Vice President, Ventures, Denuo - A Publicis Groupe Company
Adam Stewart, Vertical Director, Media & Entertainment Group, Google
Dean Carignan, Director, Advertising Business Strategy, Entertainment & Devices Division, Microsoft Corporation
Tom Bosco, Head of Sales, MySpace TV
Joe Franzetta, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Broadband Television Business Unit, TANDBERG Television
Karen Bressner, Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales, Tivo
Feisal Nanji, Sector Resident, Global Media & Entertainment Sector, Ernst & Young, Moderator



  • Advertising markets in flux

  • Impact of the media value chain


  • Advertising in center of this perfect storm

    • The conundrum of hyperchoice

    • MySpace as social OS

    • Qualitative views more important and a major focus at Tivo

    • Emerging media as a catalyst for creativity, as there is less precedent

    • My Space TV to roll out more programming

    • Dialogue is the magic in a bottle

    • Multitaskers have better ad recall, as many times the tasks include disseminating messages

    • Brand and Direct fusion

    • The secret to targeting is transparency

    • References to Ballmer's Comment about 25% of MSFT's revenue will be from advertising

    • How else can we use video for advertising?


    • We need more flexibility from our creative agencies

      • Media agencies are starting to see it, but creatives seem to not be producing the assets needed



    • Media agency as distributor, Creative Agency as content creator, new paradigm?


    • Product placement does not all have to be clickable, it can simply be tracked and stored and have meta data so it can be found

      • Dispel the notion there is content, and then there is ads



    • What is going to happen to the family television set? (is there still one of those)

    • You need to be able to translate the technology into a workable business model

    • The connected home

    • Recommendation engines potentially more powerful than search engines in an age ruled by the paradox of choice?

    • Discovery versus search


    • the prognosis for locations based/mobile targeting

      • the way it is not is not how it will end up

      • will run the way it is for the foreseeable future

      • Mapping technologies the low hanging fruit

      • Mobile Couponing

      • Mobile part of the overall ecosystem, not a destination

      • Mobile device origination, not the destination

      • Mobile as a bookmarking device "dip in and out" of stuff



    • What emerging delivery mechanisms are best for transactional experiences?

    • Tivo as a transactional device

    • Will IPTV really merge with broadcast TV





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Podcamp Boston 2.0: Let The Games Begin

Christopher S. Penn


In his usual eloquent manner, Mr. Penn lays down the laid down the law for the eager podcampers.


"Every experience contains the enlightenment for which we seek"-- doubly true at podcamp


Chris Brogan


VON is Free!


John Havens


The Transparency Manifesto



  • Who are you online?

  • The nature of community

  • Words need to be followed by actions


  • References the Scoble Debacle

    • no control PR



  • The balance between transparency and full disclosure

  • Snarkicons ;)

  • Community means taking the hard and difficult step

  • when you blog it is a press release

  • references Ben and Jerry's PR tactics (I really am not that familiar, I should learn more)

  • John Mackey CEO of Whole Foods

  • "The Cult Of Objectivity"



Hello Podcamp Boston Bloggers


Topaz Partners


Podcast Asnwer Man


CC Chapman


John Wall


Online Video Watch



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Innovators Speak Up At The 212 Interactive Club (and it sure got heated)

(sorry you were cut off greg :)


For those of you that were not able to find the 212 event last night, you sure missed a fun one!


The gloves came off early on when Nick Denton remarked that certain technologies (widgets, podcasting) we marginal in comparison to platforms like Facebook. While I disagreed, his presence really made this an event!


Topics of innovation were brought up, and at one point Nick asked me, "Why do we need to innovate?"


I loved his challenge, and I think at the end of the day our viewpoints were not entirely different, we were just coming at the subject from different angles.


Other Members of the panel were Chris Cunningham of Freewebs, Edward Kim Of Unilever, Sean X. Cummings of Ask.com, Greg Mand Of Podshow and last but not least Kelly Elkins Of Weblo.


...and how could I forget our wonderful moderator, the lovely and talented Masha Geller.


Overall it was a great night!


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