The Client Side

Watch.

Klout is all the rage. I'm not buying in quite yet but that does not necessarily mean you should be overly influenced by my opinion. Or should you?

Either way, this little video made met chuckle. I believe it highlights the real disconnect of those who are overly influenced about the all influencing going on.

What happens when a game becomes so popular that it transcends the i-Things and the Androids and goes all 3-D... like real 3-D? Well, it looks like this.

This was the output of a promotion by Saatchi & Saatchi U.K.showcasing the game that has redefined what time well wasted means on behalf of their client Deutsche Telekom.

In case you don't have a smart phone, check out the Chrome Version of Angry Birds from Rovio to get in on the action with the game that has become a mini-industry.

Hat tip to Randy Matheson for the video.

Nuff said. Although I wish it was an ad from Becks

What can one say about a music video made for the web thats really not a video at all?

Well, the video below is the behind the scenes overview of a project from Google and the musical collaboration Rome that includes Jack White, Danger Mouse and Norah Jones. It is not so much about the content of what is seemingly a music video as much as it is about the structure/platform used to generate the content. And, it is an interesting look at where things are headed.

Yes, things will change. Fast.
Our construct of websites with pictures, copy and "clicky things" will one day soon have us scratch our heads and wonder why we settled for such a flat experience. The mindset of watching a online video with little differentiation in terms of how you would watch it on your TV may be a relic inside this decade.

Will it be HTML 5? WebGL? Who Knows.
There are some great examples of HTML 5 being used in this capacity and another musical experiment is from Arcade Fire with The Wilderness Downtown - a Chorme experiment.

Below, you'll find an video introduction being used as a showcase for WebGL (Web-based Graphics Library). WebGL is "a software library that extends the capability of the JavaScript programming language to allow it to generate interactive 3D graphics within any compatible web browser." Wikipedia. De-constructed, this simply means your browser will transcend (or be independent of) hardware and operating systems constraints (with some notable exceptions).

So, how does a browser transform the viewer into a deeper experience? Well, it is still early days but a look at this "making of" video starts to shed some light on things. Check it out and take a glimpse at things to come.

There are some amazing other http://www.chromeexperiments.com/webgl Note: you need a pretty high end graphics card to run these examples (which is ironic in terms of what WebGL purports to accomplish in terms of hardware on your machine. But hey, who am I to critique how a child runs before it crawls.

Don't ask me why, but I love monkeys. Put a monkey in commercial or movie and I laugh. Really laugh, not some lame LOL.

I never thought twice about it until now. As we get older we start to peel back the layers of how things work our perspectives change. That is a good thing,

This PETA video is an effective way to send the message to a very targeted audience and change both perceptions and practices.

I can live without the laughter. Can you?

Hillarious little take on the social network of choice for over a half-billion of us (and counting) and the "personas" we have come to know and love. Actually, not so much on the love thing. Perhaps it is just a "like".

Courtesy of Altoids and their agency The Evolution Bureau, the Altoid's Curiously Strong Awards honors the "Stars of Facebook" and is a wonderful glimpse into the characters that are are all a part of the zeitgeist of Facebook we have grown accustom to (not this Zeitgeist, mind you).

As the site deftly notes:

Their excessive liking and ridiculous wall posts have become our escape from the monotony of the real world. Without these friends, Facebook would just be the local news.

Released on the Altoids Facebook page, you can even award a friend via a Facebook application. Anyways..., time to log off... I'll be back in two minutes.

Via AdFreak

In my passion for investigating corners of the ever expanding digital realm, I am fascinated by online communities, content and the elusive "viral" element. Every once in a while, as I follow random nodes on the interwebs, I come across a gem like Viral Video Film School and, in this case, I had to share.

It has nothing to do with marketing yet everything to do with marketing. Most of all, it made me lol - like really laugh out loud. I trust it will have the same result with you.

If not, you are probably a tobacco chewing, internet scam initiating, none-at-time wine talking death metal imitator with an angry Dad (you kinda have to watch to get that one). Time well wasted.

Here is a neat little distraction / take on what search would be if it was given the same attention and focus as Charlie Sheen has taken with his sanity. Winning?? Not quite.

Can you imagine what would happen with Sloppy Maps or Sloppy Streetview? That said, Sloppy Buzz might actually be a bit of an improvement...

An all time classic. Enjoy the holidays!

What were our favorite distractions, inspirations and jaw-dropping wtf moments within the world online video this year? Look no further then YouTube Rewind 2010: The Year In Review which showcases the online videos we checked-out the most.

From Tiger, Mustafa, Beiber, the next Beiber, The Bed Intruder, Keenan Cahill, the plethora of Haul videos and, the Double Rainbow guy, it was a year full of interesting videos to watch (some more than others!).

Check YouTube's Rewind Channel for a timeline of all the moments over the past year.

Here is the trailer:

... you better have a plan in hand. A plan for fixing or attempting to solve that which you complain about.

It Feels Good To Vent
First, let's acknowledge we have all been there. For whatever reason, things are frustrating. Even when the issue is clearly not your fault or your direct problem. It could be a client, your agency, your boss, the other departments or silos we all have to deal with in the course of our daily business. It could be the parking ticket, the flat tire, the kids or the weather. We are all human and just need someone to listen once in a while. Its cathartic.

No One Cares Anyhow
No matter how legitimate, no matter how "in the right" you are, complaining gets you nowhere. That old phase "I'd complain but no one cares" is true.

A Fatal Flaw Of Those Who Complain
They never have a plan. In the context of business, if you are going to complain, you better be willing to do something about it. If your project has gone haywire or you believe a client or agency is going rouge, then you need to step it up and put a framework around fixing it things. Ideas and suggestions with solutions in mind always outrank opinions on who is to blame.

Some Tips For Venting
1. Starting: Begin with the following disclosure "Excuse me, I am going to vent for a minute. I need to get something off my chest" is the best way to start.

2. Be Brief: Kept it to a minute or two MAX!!!

3. Avoid Gossip: Keep it to facts and do not get personal. Getting personal takes away your credibility in managing the situation and being seen as a leader. Don't go there. Strive to keep it professional, not personal.

4. Be Selective: Don't let venting become a habit. Wonder why people avoid you in the halls? Don't be that guy/girl.

5. Imagine Yourself As The "Ventee": How do you sound? What are you saying? If you were eavesdropping in on your own conversation, would you judge yourself on the merits of your argument?

6. Be Careful: What you say may come back to haunt you. Make sure you don't say/do anything you might regret.

7. Would You Say It To Their Face?: If you had the opportunity to confront the person, group or folks in charge of the process which whom you are taking issue, would you be as candid or more diplomatic?

8. Logic Versus Emotion OR Having Perspective: Can you see it from the other side of the fence? Are you able to remove yourself from your vested interest or emotional attachment? Can you be sympathetic to the other parties position? Have you taken time to reflect?

9. Count To Ten: Always a good idea to think before you speak. For some reason, more and more I hear people not using the proper filters before speaking.

10. Have A Plan: As already noted, if you are venting or complaining to others involved, or more importantly if they are above you in the organization, you must come equipped with a plan of action. Every one is looking to be led and looking for leaders. If you can articulate a plan and create a solution, you are the leader.

And remember, always remember above all, you are not perfect. None of us are.

To further the discussion of wikileaks means not just continuing the chatter taking place in the mainstream press. To actually further the conversation means peeling back the layers of what it really represents. It is not just what was said in the "cables" but what happened within the physical cables through which the leaks are being distributed.

What Is A Real Internet?
Through the looking glass of the wikileaks case we see that The Cluetrain Manifesto-based Internet is not really as in play as we think. The Personal Democracy Forum (PdF) community explored the what the Wikileaks situation has shone a light upon; the reach of the state, freedom of the press, the continual hierarchical nature of systems, net neutrality and, the future of Internet freedom.

Jeff Jarvis speaks to being on a "hinge moment" while Douglas Rushkoff speaks to the fact that the Internet is not what it should be. It is not a real internet and it is a great illusion of democracy. He posits "Do we want a real Internet?".

Fascinating thoughts and ideas on what we are living though - "birth pains" as suggeted by Gideon Lichfield. Give it a watch and listen to the real issues at play.

Time coding of speakers:
Mark Pesce - 0:00
Esther Dyson - 11:36 (note audio interuptions that take a few minutes to resolve)
Jeff Jarvis - 19:50
Rebecca MacKinnon - 26:59
Jay Rosen - 35:20
Carne Ross - 43:02
Douglas Rushkoff - 49:58
Katrin Verclas - 56:18
Gideon Lichfield - 1:03:14

Session was moderated by Micah Sifry

AdFreak posted the Top YouTube Brand Videos of 2010 based on number of views as reported by Google.

One stand out was D.C. Shoes "Ken Block's Gymkhana Three Part 2; Ultimate Playground; l'Autodrome, France". Not just for the simple reason that most guys would love to drive rally stunt like this at least once (or at least ride shotgun), but for the fact that it is a fantastic piece of content. The entire series is quite compelling to watch for anyone who has ever parallel parked or has done some quick maneuvering in tight traffic.

Another interesting video was the interactive bit from "Tippex, NSFW. A hunter shoots a bear". A bit derivative (ala Subservient Chicken) but a decent way to play along in in a "create your own ending" sort of way.

See the rest on AdFreak. What is your pick?

It not always easy. It requires self-discipline, self-awareness and patience.

It means harnessing the ability to bite your tongue and think before you speak. It demands contemplation in a day and age where speed seems to be more valued than quality - where opinions seem to count more than fact.

The high road is not having to win every battle. The high road is sticking to a strategy.

Taking the high road will humble you. It is stoic. More often than not, it will get you further over the long haul.

We are all guilty of this. The indulgence we find ourselves in daily through the amazing gadgetry we possess. Our culture is transforming in ways we never thought possible because of the amazing stuff we now control with our fingertips. And, it is not always a good thing to fall into the abyss it presents.

This great little spot has a very strong message. At the end it simply says "use the device appropriately". Nuff said.

Thanks to Viet Ha Pham for sending me the link.

Ten years ago the future was very bright for YAHOO!. Although the DotCom crash wiped out a huge chunk of it's value, the meltdown also crushed much of it's potential competition (except for up and coming player, Google). It was still moving forward when others in the space had no other option but to file papers in bankruptcy court during those early days (by the way, we are still in the early days today).

YAHOO! Was The Internet
It was the starting point for the vast majority of users as they ventured on the Information Superhighway for the first time. Those who skipped over the AOL experience to see the Internet "in the wild", as it was being built, went to YAHOO! YAHOO! Finance (still a great service) was THE destination for investors and a gateway to all of it's other properties.

So, What Happened?
The journey over the past ten years has been a real rough ride and long slide, highlighted by boardroom battles, acquisitions that were poorly integrated/leveraged and an exodus of senior executives that still continues. Never mind the fact that in 2007/08 Microsoft offered $44 Billion to take over the company, and recently when AOL merger rumors were swirling valuation was pegged at just north of $20 Billion. Still a huge sum - not yet a fire sale - but things have changed dramatically for investors since Steve Ballmer came knocking just a few short (or long) years ago.

Carol Bartz, current CEO of YAHOO!, was interviewed recently at the WEB 2.0 Summit (see video at bottom of this post) and shed some light on the direction of where she is taking the company. A very interesting glimpse into where she sees the space evolving. One revealing statement from Bartz is that she does not see Google as her competition. It's Facebook at the centre of her radar

Down But Not Out
All said, YAHOO! is still a player. A viable entity with much to offer consumers and businesses. However, the lightning fast world of the Internet punishes "big and slow". This is the unfortunate category many put them in and for the past many years they have had to prove themselves over and over again without regaining one ounce of the glory and they once owned.

The Infographic below tells the tale of the past decade, shedding some light on the key events that have brought them to where they are now. Who knows what this will look like in 2020, or if other giants in the industry may have unraveled in a similar manner. Only time will tell.

Found via Social Media Graphics

Want to rock the stage at TED? Compel your audience to tears or sound like you invented the air we breathe? Or, perhaps you simply want to avoid the perils of a bad TED talk by sidestepping the words and phrases that will sink you faster than a brick in a pool.

Well, the secret is out. Kinda sorta.

The brilliance of this TED talk is that it is all about talking at TED. This entertaining video from Sebastian Wernicke provides some insight into the good, bad and ugly of it all.

etcetera, etcetera, etcetera ...

One Club , the organization that promotes excellence in advertising, brought together a roster of top digital creatives to sift through dozens upon dozens of nominations and ultimately select the Best Of The Digital Decade.

It is the usual suspects for the most part (many of these are examples highlighted and discussed in the Canadian Marketing Association's Digital Marketing Professional Certificate Course), but the One Club site has some great insights from behind the scences from the teams that developed the projects on the Digital Decade run down.

Top Ten Of The Digital Decade:

1. Subservient Chicken - Burger King (Crispen Porter + Bogusky)
2. The Hire - BMW Films (Fallon)
3. Nike Plus - Nike (R/GA)
4. Uniqlock - Uniqlo (Projector)
5. Whopper Sacrifice - Burger King (Crispen Porter + Bogusky)
6. Chalkbot - LiveStrong Foundation (Wieden & Kennedy)
7. Dream Kitchens - Ikea (Forsman & Bodenfors)
8. Eco Drive - Fiat (AKQA)
9. HBO Voyeur - HBO (BBDO)
10. Dove Evolution - Dove (Ogilvy)

Big Agency or Digital Boutique?
Looking at the list of agencies involved, only are few are pure play digital outfits. This is not to say that great creative ideas in the digital realm are limited to big advertising agencies, but it sure seems they had a leg up over the last ten years. (note from Adweek "The One Club gives the shaft to digital production shops seeking credit. There's no mention of The Barbarian Group ("Subservient Chicken") or Big Spaceship ("HBO Voyeur")".

While a great creative idea can come from anywhere, the next decade may answer the question: will the pure play digital shops get better at creative, or will big agencies get better at digital? Only time (and budgets) will tell.

All that is for certain is that we have a lot to looking forward to in terms of what the next decade of digital will bring our way. There is no stopping this ride.

What do you think is the Best Of The Digital Decade?

Anne had a plan. It was to promote her business-to-business services across all the established business channels, prospecting in the hopes of being chosen when a need arose. Mail, email, phone with a dash of digital. She was tenacious.

She managed to keep her company name omnipresnet. And, quite often that meant she was a bother - almost to the detriment of her goal.

The "Anti" Best Practice
Some would say it was just noise, and it very well may have been.

This strategy is often unwanted and pesky. It goes totally against the grain of where marketing needs to be - targeted, timely, relevant, personalized and invited. While it stands out for all the wrong reasons (almost in the way the Oliver's Jeweller's annoying zany schtick nonsense stands out), she was, in her own way, memorable.

She Won The Business
All that said, Anne got the business. When the need arose and a challenging situation presented itself, the tenacity that kept her name and company at the top of the pile stood out. The determination she demonstrated had to be considered in terms of it translating into performing against the need. When I had that need, I called. She met the opportunity head-on and won the business. And yes, she ended up delivering on expectation.

Who is Anne? It does not matter, she could be anyone in any industry trying to make a sale by prospecting. The business she is in competitive and so was she.

End of the day, she was there when the time was right with the right product/service in my time of need. And, delivered the solution. That is marketing.

It Doesn't Always work
Those in sales and business develpment have to have a thick skin. They must be able to dust themselves off after 100 times of hearing no - or hearing nothing at all. All the while knowing that yes is waiting, often just around the corner. It is a numbers game and the numbers are not always in her favor.

Sometimes the tactics she employed will win. Sometimes not. Sometimes you just need to ask if your company has an Anne.