Stuff

Neat little ad from Discovery Channel.

But forget about it as an ad. I just saw the movie Sharkwater about Rob Stewart's effort to save sharks. Yes, save sharks. It is a must see movie about how we are destroying creatures that have been around a lot longer on earth than we have. And, the implications for the planet if we let it continue. Fascinating flick. Scary to think about the implications.

In the meantime, we have to try harder to make sure future generations don't view this commercial and wonder what it was like to have a planet like the one we know and love and then wonder how ignorant we all were for not doing more to preserve it.

"What the Internet Is and How to Stop Mistaking It for Something Else". That is the description of World of Ends written by Doc Searls and David Weinberger, co-authors of The Cluetrain Manifesto.

World of Ends is not new. It is more than a few years old but still as relevant as it was when it was posted. Even more so these days given the interest in digital and social media and the whole net neutrality debate.

The essay outlines and speaks to the following 10 points:
1. The Internet isn't complicated
2. The Internet isn't a thing. It's an agreement.
3. The Internet is stupid.
4. Adding value to the Internet lowers its value.
5. All the Internet's value grows on its edges.
6. Money moves to the suburbs.
7. The end of the world? Nah, the world of ends.
8. The Internet's three virtues:
a. No one owns it
b. Everyone can use it
c. Anyone can improve it
9. If the Internet is so simple, why have so many been so boneheaded about it?
10. Some mistakes we can stop making already

I must admit I had forgotten about World of Ends. I recall reading some time ago, but had let it fall of the rails as a point of reference. That was until Michael O'Conner Clarke, new colleague & friend at Thornley Fallis and author of Uninstalled, pointed it out the other day. I thought it was well worth sharing.

The essay is simple but thought-provokingly complex (as one would expect from Doc and David). It argues that "All we need to do is pay attention to what the Internet really is." A read through of the comments and conversations around World of Ends shows the range of thoughts and opinions the mini-manifesto stirred.

Now, if you have not yet read The Cluetrain Manifesto (and what excuse could you have when it is available online for free!) World of Ends is an excellent way to jump in and see how these guys think. It is not about marketing, PR or any one particular business model. It is about all of those things and more. Good food for the brain.

When you take into consideration that the Internet, and how we use it, has come long way over the last 10-15 years, there is still a long road ahead. A very long one. Marketers need to keep in mind that the we need perspectives other than our own to help guide us. The Cluetrain and World of Ends bring an abundance of perspective and ideas.

When I find myself explaining the significance of The Cluetrain (mostly to my students in the Canadian Marketing Association eMarketing Certificate Course, or to audiences at various conferences), I relay my own personal experience and enlightenment. I explain that my thinking about the Internet used to be categorized as "it's just another channel". It is not.

Reading the book changed my paradigm of thought about the Internet. And, brought perspective to the possibilities surrounding the brilliant notion that "markets are conversations". If you read it, you know. If you haven't, you should.

When we last left the folks at Glass and a Half Full Productions, they managed to bring a little bit of viral marketing to the confectionery business for Cadbury. I often use the example of the Gorilla drumming to show the power of online video and how smart, funny and whimsical content can attract an audience and spread.

While it may not have been strongly aligned with the brand (i.e. what does a drumming gorilla have to do with a candy bar?) the video was unexpected, entertaining and memorable. It certainly gave Dairy Milk it's Fifteen Megs of Fame. It was so off the wall I actually wonder if recall was stronger for Dairy Milk versus weaker.

Anyhow, since the gorilla drum solo to Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight" made it's online debut a while back, a new online video has been made by the same folks called "Trucks". Check it out below or on the Glass and a Half Full Site. It seems a lot more went into the production of this follow-up but I expect it will not have anywhere close to the result of it's predecessor, Mr. Gorilla. My thoughts on this new video are summarized with a resounding "meh".

What is new and interesting is the site that has been created from Glass and a Half Full Productions to house the content. It is a fun distraction to explore and they have even linked to the YouTube riffs and take-off on the original video. There are a few interesting remixes to check out.

My only problem is that on the original site, which housed only the Gorilla video, there was a form asking for email addresses so that Glass and a Half Full Productions could keep you in the loop when new content was released. I signed up, but didn't get anything. I wonder what happened there?

I will continue to use Gorilla Phil Collins in my presentations and may now even include "Trucks". If I do, it will be to illustrate how difficult it is to create content with viral potential, even on the heels of a success. Wouldn't life be easier if everything were that predictable?

April Fools update or real initiative?

Larry Page and Sergey Brin on Project Virgle. The fact that neither of them can keep a straight face is a dead give-away. Sign up for the Virgle Project here if you believe it will last beyond noon today.

And, here is Richard Branson talking it up (I wonder if Richard has ever been RickRolled?).

Well, after two whole months on the agency side I'm just too overworked to continue. Or maybe it is just today that I feel like that and perhaps I will get over it

I'm kidding of course. Since today April Fool's Day today, I thought I would share a link to some top pranks that have made the AFD Hall of Fame.

Here is WIRED's list of top April Fool's Day pranks.

Here is a live blog of all pranks found via Julien Smith on Twitter. And finally, here is a neat one you can watch on YouTube.

Leo Burnett's London based Futures Editor, Ben Hourahine, created a nifty little video titled the "Trends Predictions Report".

Here is how the YouTube video content is described by the authors:

"The key dynamics in culture, communication, advertising and marketing:

- Mass is back (Say hello to the Swell Society).

At the turn of this year online downloads were included as part of the UK Christmas pop chart for the first time ever. This trend of online popularity being institutionalized shows that mass appeal will once again define marketing attitudes. The goal is the same; reach a mass audience, the difference is how to achieve it. Say hello to the Swell Society.

- Community Commerce.

Community connections will become more central to business practice. Retailers will seek to bring the community further inside the store, with more coffee shops, banking services and pharmacies within supermarkets. On the other side, community connections are being used to create new businesses for established brands.

- Screen Saturation.

Moving forward we will see the explosion of screen-based media, with screens on the side of buses, in petrol stations, supermarkets, the home and the pocket. While the medium may remain the same, the reach, context, audience and role of the media will be tweaked. There will be more broadcast screens than ever in 2010 and things are only going to get bigger: According to Sharp, the electronics manufacturer, the average television screen size will be 60" by 2015.

- Gender Reversal.

More women in work and the increasing role played by men within the family will see marketers change their focus. Men's interest and investment in the family will continue to rise as well, morphing the gender balance and changing the advertising context. Expect to see more and more campaigns aimed at women at work and men in the home.

- Brand Guardians.

The role of brands is evolving and will enter a new phase. With growing concerns over how to be healthy, safe and environmentally friendly, mixed with a real confusion about how to achieve this, we will see brands increasingly attempting to take on a guardian role.

- IP Idols.

Artists are grabbing control of their creative product. Intellectual Property (creative works -- ideas, songs, movies, TV shows) used to be owned and licensed by studios, record labels and other commercial institutions, but we will see artists back in the driving seat.

- The Data Awareness Era.

The public will be more aware of their data exposure than ever before and privacy concerns will be a defining issue in the future. Expect this trend to accelerate with the introduction of GPS location based information, the explosion in online information storage and social networking increasingly reflecting real life...

- Social Networks Get Real.

Social networks like Facebook -- once just virtual playgrounds - will now start to plug directly back into the real world. Increasingly we will see these networks beginning to dictate everyday life, influencing who people do business with, which parties, movies and gigs they go to, where they meet and with whom. Accelerating this shift is the advent and take up of mobile social networking: 14m people did it in 2007, and forecasts suggest it could hit 600m by the time the Olympics hits London in 2012."

Interesting stuff. Lots of things to think about. And, a nice little advert for the folks at Leo Burnett. An "A" for effort and presentation style. That said, these are themes and riffs that many of us have been kicking around for a while in other forms but, it provides a good view of things and where they might be headed.

Some of the points remind me of one of my mentors from back in my early days of marketing, Jerry Reitman who, coincidently, used to head up Leo Burnett's Direct Marketing division. He was a big influence on my career and is a hell of a nice guy. I spent a lot of time in the 1990's working with and getting to know Jerry. One of the smartest direct marketing people I've ever come across.

Back to the video. What I like is the idea of swells, but I'm not so sure "mass is back". In fact, I'm not so sure it ever went that far away. We just look at it through a different marketing lens these days. Call it an enlightenment about what mass represents in today's world and how we choose to categorize and deal with it.

Now for social networks plugging back into the offline world. That is a huge trend worth watching and figuring out how to apply it to your brand and marketing efforts. What is critical is how it can be done with a non zero-sum mentality and approach. Further, the notion that communities and commerce can coincide is the focus of many currenet conversations in my world. Although, I have a much different way of thinking about communities and commerce than outlined above - we'll leave that for another post.

And finally, the idea of Brand Guardians is interesting but fails to go far enough for my liking. I kind of agree with the angle taken, but wholeheartedly believe that the role of brand guardian is being diffused more so than ever before. Increasingly, we are seeing smart CMO's and senior level marketers who are understanding that it comes down to a balanced mix of passionate employees, empowered front-line staff and customer service people that are truly the guardians. They are the tangible part of brand delivery in the consumer's mind and cannot be undervalued. In many cases, unfriendly consumer generated content against a brand is the result of a guardianship slip in a front-line, human-to-human, moment of truth.

Following that line of thinking, the torch of guardianship can be effectively passed onto the consumer through consistent positive encounters. Bad product issues can be rescued by a great person who shows empathy and is genuine in the help and solutions they provide. Let's face it, the product is often a commodity. It's the person-to-person element forges the brand identity with the vast majority of consumers. This is the context for creating a remarkable moment-of-truth where consumers become a defender or guardian of the brand (i.e. the Nordstrom's employee who gift wraps an item that was bought at another store.)

When a customer knows you are worth defending, they become your most credible advocate. I like to call it the 360 Degree brand guardianship model. Makes one rethink where to invest marketing dollars when you ask yourself if your customer service is doing your marketing for you in that regard? Deep thoughts before the Easter long week.

With that in mind, enjoy the video:

My new definition of Viral is when I see or hear about something from at least three different unconnected sources within 24 hours. This one certainly qualifies.

Consider your self Rick Rolled. It even made it's way to The Guardian.

Here is a real life version in action:

Hat tip to Michael O'Conner Clarke via Twitter, Shelton and Adam B. via email.

This has nothing to do with marketing. It is just freaky with a capital F. Thank you Boston Dynamics for the nightmares I am certain to have in the near future.

I'd be surprised if this outdoor ad went through a focus group, then again maybe not. There is something about it that just does not scream ' let's go get me some Mexican food". I can't put my finger on it but really, who'd want to.

And, how the hell do you pronounce Chipotle anyways?

Thanks to the lovely folks at The New Shelton Wet/Dry.

I came across WayOut TV today after reading one of the session descriptions at the Ad Age Digital Conference in NY. And yes, I am disappointed I am not there!

John Battelle, Founder/Chairman/CEO, Federated Media is moderating a panel including Damon Wayans, Founder, WayoutTV.com. (Warning - content may offend viewers, but that is actually the value prop of the entire site). Yes, this is the same Damon Wayans of In Living Color fame ( and Major Payne shame).

Here is the description of Wayans YouTube project:

WayoutTV.com is the brain-child of Damon Wayans and is designed as an incubator to develop innovative television shows for the internet which will include: comedy, drama, action, reality, and animation. A creative haven for up and coming writers, directors, producers, actors and musical talent, WayoutTV.com will seek out and nurture the vision of these young artists. Mr. Wayans will work with these artists to develop original content. By creating a turn-key operation for the Hollywood community of the future, WayoutTV.com will produce weekly programming.

According to funny man Wayans "Internet (today) is cable 25 years ago." via Rubel tweet. From what I could pick up on the Twitter stream of conference attendees, he seems quite savvy with the evolving models around online video. "You Tube is the greatest focus group ever. They say what they want in comments etc. They don't pull any punches" via Armano tweet. Sounds like marketers and advertisers can learn from what he is discovering in the world of online video .

While I have yet to check out the depth of content at WayOut TV, a few things come to mind:

- When successful mainstream entertainment figures show up at digital conferences on a panel, talking about their own projects and can speak the language of digital marketers, we are moving out of the geekdom.
- As a persona like Wayans talks of, and manages to diss, his peers in the same online space (Will Ferrel's Funny or Die), we know we have reached a whole new stage in the game.
- Given my post below on Sure Fire Ways To Moderate A Panel, how cool would it be to moderate Homey D. Clown? Priceless.
- Our adoption and use of video online is not even close to it's potential yet. We are only beginning to scratch the surface of the opportunity. The barriers are down and there are no limits on this frontier. We need to look for examples outside of the usual "marketing" suspects and see what others are doing. Where they are succeeding, and where they are struggling,

There are implications for those on the sidelines waiting to see how this new world unfolds. We can learn a lesson from Mr. Wayans and begin to unfold it for ourselves, figure it out on the fly and lead the way.

Hat tip to Steve Rubel and Armano via Twitter.

I was not there, but have been witness to it before. The host (or hostess), moderator or interviewer who, for one reason or another, just didn't deliver.

In case you missed it, there was a lot of commentary and buzz around Sarah Lacy's interview of Mark Zuckerberg at SXWS last week. I'm not going to wade into who was right or if the comments were justified. Watch the video and judge for yourself. Then, see her response to the situation. When I watched it, I was looking for why and when the audience turned on her. It was interesting as I thought parts of the interview were really good while I also found myself cringing as some parts were hard to watch.

So, instead of studying this example any further, I thought I would do something constructive instead. Having been bestowed the honor of moderating/interviewing in front of a crowd a few times myself, I thought I would offer some simple tips in terms of how to effectively lead a session. They are:

- Be gracious and welcoming.

- As the moderator, remember you are not who people came to see or hear. The audience is there to hear the panelists or interviewee. At all times, keep the audience focused on the person/people being interviewed.

- Your job is to make the panelists look brilliant. You are a facilitator.

- Leave any personal or professional bias at the door.

- Don't try to be controversial or overly provocative. You are the voice of... wait for it, ... moderation.

- Manage the time of the session wisely. Change topics and direction to keep the discussion lively.

- Prepare yourself to be spontaneous.

- Get to know the participants, their backgrounds and points of view on the subject matter. Ensure participants know the flow of the session but are not over prepared to come off as rehearsed.

- Make sure all panelists have a chance to speak. Ask a particular panelist to answer a question if you sense the conversation is not evenly distributed.

- Ask a question and get out of the way.

- Don't interrupt. And, make sure everyone has a chance to chime in with an answer before you move on.

- Rapport with the audience and panelists is a good thing, but there are limits. Don't let your personality take over.

- Inside jokes fall flat. Leave them at home. No one benefits.

- Start with a statement then quickly follow with a question. Questions without context setting are just as bad as rambling statements not followed by a question.

- Leave lots of time for questions and work the room. In a 45 minute session, leave 15-20 for questions. (Hint: takes some of the pressure off the moderator.)

- Read the audience, feel the vibe of the room. If things go wrong, be humble and keep things moving forward. Don't use the stage as a platform to defend yourself or the panelists. Take the high road.

For more on this, Guy Kawasaki has a great post on moderating a panel (although I disagree with a couple of his points). And, if you have any other tips or advice, I’d love to hear. Please leave a comment.

Influencing the influencers? Fooling the fools? I loved this video by Derren Brown. You have to watch it right to the end.

Hat tip to Uncle Jack.

After signing up for Twitter well over a year ago, I recently became more active on the platform. I must admit to liking it a whole lot more now than when I signed up. It has now become a part of my routine now I understand the power of the twit.. er tweet.

I was explaining Twitter to the CMA class I teach a couple of nights ago and showing them what it was all about. In fact, as part of explaining Twitter, I "tweeted" that I was explaining Twitter to the class. It kind of fell flat. So, moving right along, I came across this video by Common Craft that explains things just fine.

If you are on Twitter, or inspired to sign-up, come find me, I'm mlseaton.

The "global village" talked about for such a long time is being accelerated at a crazy pace today through the growth and ubiquity of broadband connections across the planet. In effect, a Global Digital Village has emerged. My intention is not to wax poetic, but simply to point out that there is literally nothing out there that we are unable to search for and find anymore - even when we aren't looking. Random is good.

In the world of human beat boxin' lives an unlikely hero named Shlomo (unlikely in name only). I picked this video up via Russell Davies. Human Beat Box is a genre I have known about, but never spent much time inside getting to know the artists or talent. The remarkable nature of YouTube is it's ability to take you on an unknown exploratory journey. A deep dive into a breath of random and entertaining content that also serves to educate. Human Beat Box is outside my usual consumption. But via online video, all the goods were delivered this morning over coffee (Chris & John - perhaps Beat Box Over Coffee?!?)

I had a similar YouTube musical adventure a few months back. Given my love for real-life Guitar Heros, the videos I came across on YouTube a while ago threw me for a loop. The guitar solo videos from the likes of Stevie Vai, Eddie Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Santana and Slash were perplexingly awful
(check out the videos). I know about the phenomenon of "Shredding" as I play guitar. But thanks to YouTube I got caught up in a funny social media hoax. But I digress.

My point is that, every minute of the day another eight hours of video are uploaded to YouTube. Our world is widening in terms of available information which serves to bring us closer together in knowledge. No different that the momentum created by Gutenberg.

So, as I watched Shlomo spit into the mic, it made me wonder how much more is out there. I don't have eight hours in a day to view YouTube - I need a bizarro world where there are eight hours in every minute. Imaging the work you could do in that time frame! Instead of looking at this as overwhelming, it is simply exciting in terms of the depth and breadth of content that I have not clue even exists... yet.

Collectively, when you search the term "Human beat box" the top 10 artists have 50 Million views. Staggering. Also, check out Felix Zenger , this guy and the amazing editing skills of Lasse Gjertsen. Beyond that, my only comment on Shlomo and his peers: I would never lend them my microphone. Can you imagine the germs, yeech. Not enough Lysol in the world for that. ; )

When I see a brand in campaign mode, in this case Hasbro's Monopoly, and it reaches me in a variety of places I would not expect and through people I know, something is up. And, it seems to be a well engineered something when it's reach, in terms of grabbing my attention, was not bought.

Hasbro, fresh off the Facebook Scrabulous situation is doing a smart bit of marketing that I dare say is going viral as they bring out the World Edition of Monopoly. In a controlled bid to involve consumers in the brand, people are voting to have their home city included in the new World Edition.

Here are a bunch of reasons I think it this works well for Hasbro:
- People love Monopoly - it is an imprint of my youth. This effort successfully extends the brand into the online world by involving players, fans and city proud people across the globe. Everyone has a "move" in this exercise.
- This story has tremendous pass-along value.
- They were smart in terms of collecting voter email address in an very efficient manner. This is a move to limit ballot box stuffing and likely to pull voters back into the site with updates. I wonder if they have plans to use the email down the road after this exercise? There is so much potential in terms of extending the relationship with the collected data.
- The end product is, to a certain degree, user-generated. It fits snuggly into today's online model.
- It has broken through in terms of a Facebook group (courtesy of Angelo Cerase), a bit of blog buzz and even people passing it along via email (Thanks Rudite.)
- Multi-part engagement: First there is a vote for the major cities which ends on February 29th. Then, a second round vote on the wildcards and write-ins. (Yes folks, Toad Suck Arkansas still has a chance.) Finally, there is the release of the game itself. I'll bet there will be great word of mouth around this product when it hits stores.
- Traditional marketing was bypassed. Now, just because I have not seen any advertising or marketing around this is not to say they did not conduct any (I'm curious if anyone saw any?) . However, over the past week I could no longer ignore the Monopoly story - it hit me on several credible fronts.
- Nice site design that, although a bit visually noisy at points, stays true to the reason you visited in the first place.
- There is even an offline component with a poster that you can download. Cute.

So, while the social media world was quick to judge Hasbro and Mattel with regard to Scrabulous and Facebook, I felt it was time to point out where they are getting it right. There seems to be a lot of good planning here and it shows.

Now, my call-to-action for you is to VOTE FOR TORONTO. Bottom line: we need a game to play that involves our city in the spring. We keep hoping that spring time games would involve the Maple Leafs, but we'll take Monopoly at this point. Seems to be more of a sure thing. Only 9 days left! Giddy up.

I came across the Advertising Addictionary and found it made for some chuckle-filled reading. It is a wiki that serves up words and definitions for the Advertising and Marketing industry. Quite fitting to have a dedicated dictionary considering that we make up so much crazy jargon that is utterly useless for the rest of mankind. It would appear this is just what we needed - another and self indulgent outlet to facilitate more inside jokes.

While other industries are represented with their own similar wiki-dikis, I willing to bet that ours is is not only the most creative, but the one other industries will find the most amusing. I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?

Hat tip to Cory Treffiletti of Online Spin.

“Terrorists Evolve. Threats Evolve. Security Must Stay Ahead. You Play A Part.” That is the tagline greeting readers on the new Evolution of Security blog.

The Evolution of Security was launched by The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States in late January. It is a public-facing blog created to keep weary travelers in-the-know of the policy and procedures driving security checks and also allowing them an outlet to ask questions and vent.

What makes this interesting is that it is a somewhat unlikely source. You'd kind of expect the TSA to not even have a knowledge of blogs, let alone start one up for the agency. So after the "huh" factor subsided, I checked it out and believe it to be a decent go at things. There are a few bloggers who write for the site and seem to do so very well.

Topics include Shoes, Liquids,Lighters, Nail Clippers and Gripes & Grins. There are more gripes on there than grins in comments, but it seems to be quite effective in terms of starting conversations. It is a place for travelers to "get it off their chest" - which is ironic considering travelers are quite used to not having anything on their chests from the ritual of stripping down at the security check.

Kidding aside, I think the TSA does a good job with the blog. All of the right elements are in place and it appears they did their homework in terms of understanding the blogosphere and where they fit in. Putting a human face on division of government is no easy feat, especially if you are in the group that everyone loves to hate. So, all that considered, I give the TSA a decent report card so far on this project. My only question is how long the content can stay fresh within this subject. I guess we will have to keep reading to see.

Hat tip to Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson of For Immediate Release.

First, we have a nice little ad for Blockbuster that, no matter how well crafted, is not likely rescue them from their business model. I'm not sure this one reached viral status as it was added on November 22, 2007 (before the Holiday Season - note the guy in a Santa costume) and has approximately 18,000 views. More like early onset Altzheimer's than viral. No matter, I had fun trying to identify all 35 movies referenced in the spot. Hat tip to Buzz Canuck Sean Moffitt.

Then, we have Mitch Joel's collaboration with David Usher that points out the sexy new MacBook Air is really form over function when compared to the Sony Viao. The parody was added on February 12, 2008 (today) and has 398 views so far.

Empty Bowls is a great cause. It is a movement where "Potters across Canada have turned their creative energy and talents to raising both money and awareness around issues of hunger and poverty in their communities." It is a grass roots global network that reaches as far away as Finland.

I know about the Empty Bowls movement because of a family connection. Jackie Seaton, my uncle, is a supporter of the cause, donating his time and materials to combat hunger. He lives and works in Perth, Ontario and, each year since 2002, applies his artistic skills to create 500 hand-crafted bowls that are sold to the public. All proceeds go to local non-profit charities.

I unexpectedly came across an article featuring Jackie and his contributions in Saturday's Globe and Mail by Paul Waldie on page 2 of the Report of Business section. After reading the article, I wondered why I had not written about it previously. So, I am sharing it now.

Donations are always welcome.

I am only halfway through Seth Godin's latest book, Meatball Sundae, but immediately thought of it when I saw this article from Wired titled "Camaro Enters 21st Century - With Hybrid?.

If you don't know what a Meatball Sundae is, the concept is described as "the unfortunate result of mixing two good ideas".

For other takes on the concept, check out Jackie Huba's gross out video over at the Church of the Customer blog, or right from the source via Seth Godin's blog.

Read the comments left on WIRED article and let me know your thoughts. Meatball Sundae or good idea?

As the old phrase goes, expect the unexpected. That is why, as morbid as it sounds, publishers often prepare for both the timely and untimely demise of many public figures. While it is a given that past presidents and over-the-hill celebrities have obits prepared in advance of death, is it so surprising to learn that young celebs like Britney Spears have one prepared at various publications?

I was in New York city this week, arriving in town just hours before Heath Ledger died. While his death was sad and unexpected, it made me think about the preparedness of business to deal with unforeseen events. Some are much more suited to the challenge.

In this case, the publicity machine that is Hollywood had put Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker at center stage of the marketing campaign for the past many months. The upcoming movie The Dark Knight had a great online campaign around the film. It was a well executed teaser campaign that generated a lot of buzz. Will they suffer from events of this week? I think not. Even if the studio takes the spotlight off Ledger's Joker in the marketing, the tragedy and media coverage lead me to predict this installment of Batman will be the biggest grossing movie of the franchise yet. It's a sad but likely true prediction that the film will profit from his death.

According to Jon Thurber, obituary editor at The Los Angeles Times in a recent article on the subject of pre-death obituary writing, "there's no way to deal with the unpredictability of death." I don't think we can argue with that at all. However, the nature of the publishing industry is to be prepared for, and to profit from, these circumstances. And, the entertainment industry reaps some short term benefit as well. Nothing out of school here.

I loved Thurber's quip at the end of the article that summarizes the whole issue of putting your bet on the odds on favorite; "Who in the '60s," Thurber asked, "would have thought Keith Richards would have outlasted John Denver?"

Who would have thought that Amy Winehouse would have outlived Heath Ledger? The seemingly predictable often surprises us in the end. How prepared is your business for the unexpected?

Truth be told, I am no designer. However, what I am fairly good at is reading. Unfortunately it is quite hard to do in this example of designing for the squint factor. Nice colors I suppose, high use of gradients, with a low level of proof reading to see how longer post would shake out.

While I have no clue if this blog is legit or not, let this be an example of what happens when you put design ahead of function.

One of the first questions I've been asked when people have found out that I am moving over to the agency side is "Does this mean you will be re-branding and changing The Client Side blog/podcast?"

Well, aside from changing the header description and bio page to accurately reflect my status and new gig, the answer is no.

Here's why:

• I have spent over a decade working on the client side. It is a quintessential part of me. It's in my DNA and constitutes my world view. After I spend a decade (or at least half that long) on agency side, I'll consider a change : )
• The blog is dedicated to "brand and customer champions worldwide who are making a difference from the client side". I'm a customer champion, always have been and always will be. I will continue to view everything I do through that lens no matter if I am client or agency side. The blog will still speak to marketing issues as it always has. It's a collective of ideas, thoughts and items based on the outlook and reflections from my experience. I still have that experience and bring it to my writing (and to my dealings with clients). And, it will remain dedicated to client siders.
• The reality is that I am simply going from working for one client exclusively (Scotiabank) to a myriad of clients with new and complex challenges and opportunities.
• I like the brand. There is a certain sentimentality to having created it. And, Google juice, Technorati rankings and a host of other vanity items are things I do not want to tinker around with (at this stage at least).

What happens if I go back to being a client one day? What if that is my master plan? What then?

• And finally, now more than ever, my chief concern will be clients. As a former client, I really want them to know that I am on their side! Groan.... yes, I know how cheesy that sounds, but it is true.

So there you have it. Although it will not likely change my decision, I would love to hear your thoughts if you agree or disagree with the rationale.

Yes, you read correctly. I can now be found on the dark side of the force.

It was the worst kept secret but I can now officially inform that I have moved on from my position at Scotiabank to join Thornley Fallis as Vice President, Digital Marketing.

For those of you that know of Thornley Fallis, you know that I am joining a superb group of individuals that are leaders in the social media and digital space. Joseph Thornley (Pro PR) is a prolific blogger and is a force in helping to define the evolution of communications through social media. Terry Fallis, (half of the great Inside PR podcast with co-host David Jones) has been a big influence and inspiration on my podcasting and social media presence. In fact, my first podcast experience was co-hosting Inside PR way back in episode 20-something. Needless to say I am stoked to have the opportunity to work with the folks at Thornley Fallis and help make a difference by working with a range of great clients.

It was not easy leaving my gig at Scotiabank and the fantastic team of folks that I worked with everyday. Over the past ten years, our team built a world-class relationship and database marketing platform that spoke to our customers and prospects in meaningful ways. I had the great fortune of developing our digital footprint over the last decade, creating programs that delivered content that actually mattered in the lives of our customers. This is not a pat on the back to myself, it is a testament to great vision and leadership from the executive at Scotiabank who let ideas take seed and grow. And, to the vendors, partners, agencies and contractors I had the pleasure of working with over the years. Thank you all.

The most asked question of me so far?: Will you rebrand The Client Side?
Stay tuned...

A major influence in my life and one of my top five favorite business books of all-time is now a slide show. Doc Searls, co-author of The Clue Train Manifesto pointed to it on his blog today and, while I am not sure if he created it (I don't think he did), it is worth a look for a refresh or as a crash course on the principles of the best-selling book written back in 2000.

If you have not yet read The Clue Train Manifesto I highly recommend you give it a some quality time in the very near future - it will change the way you think. It is free on the Cluetrain site.

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Hat tip to Sundog.

Your new grocery list: tub of mayo, set of tires and a digital campaign. Check out Sam's Club digital services. Just when we thought we had come so far from the old days when we got used to hearing "my kid brother can design a cool website for you cheap!"

Found via SEO Book.

It is Sunday funny/silly time. This one is kind of twisted, but it made me chuckle. I'm not sure if it was the content itself, or the fact that someone actually took the time to grab the URL then design and code the site that I found more bizarre.

How many five year olds can you take in a fight?

I have kids ages three and six and they could take me out in heartbeat (but they fight dirty). I wonder how tough David, Bryan, Sean, Joe, Mack and Ben really are? I seem to recall they have kids and would appreciate the stupidity of the site. (Apologies for involving all of you in my nonsense - currently nine-feet of snow has accumulated outside and I am doing anything I can today to avoid shoveling).

Hat tip to James B for the link.

I'm not sure what message this holiday greeting sends? Perhaps it is that the creative department at Hal Riney had full unchecked license to create something memorable.

I wonder what the creative brief looked like on this little project? Whatever it was, they seem to have taken the notion of "warm greeting" much too literally.

I love this. I've seen a few posts about it from other bloggers and wanted to spead the message too.

The issues Annie Leonard presents effects all of us and it is well worth watching. This planet we call home is in crisis. When my kids have kids who knows what living on planet earth will be like. One thing for certain is that it will not be like it is today.

It is a fabulous example of using digital to present a story that sticks. The message is hard-hitting, done in a compelling, entertaining and educational way.

Check out the The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard .

Hat tip to Steve Mast for pointing it out.

UPDATE HERE RE: VIDEO

Everyone else has posted this video, so I suppose I can hop on the the Bubble Band Wagon and show it here too. Are we headed for a consolidation or collapse? I'm no fortune teller, but I seem to recall a few words of warning on this subject in the past.

NEW VIDEO HERE:

Hat tip to Mitch Joel of Twist Image and Six Pixels Of Separation where I first found it.

For anyone who thinks the odds are stacked against them and that the battle is not worth fighting, I would like to suggest you watch (or re-watch) one of my favorite movies of all-time, Rudy.

I found myself watching it late one evening on TV (for the 20th time) even with the annoying commercial breaks. It is the story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, a less than likely football hero. And, as always with this flick, I had a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat when it was done.

If you have a dream and think it is out of reach, grab some time to watch Rudy and see how hard work, determination and faith can help you get there.

Rudy is #45. He even has a site.

Test your speed. How do you rate?

I just read this item from WIRED describing a new experimental feature from Google that seems to promise a more personalized search experience.

The WIRED blog explains "The new options appear as a series of buttons on the search results page which allow you to star a page, reorder results and even add a URL to a site you think is relevant. Next to each page link there’s an up arrow and an “x” button for ranking and rearranging the results, and any changes you make will be remembered the next time you search those keywords." Read the full post "Google Experimental Search Adds Personalized Page Ranking"

Apparently it is not available for everyone, only select individuals are able to access it. I have yet to see it in action and am interested to check out how it would actually enhance the search experience. At a minimum it sounds like another development that is driving Google to reinforce it's position of being as relevant as possible, now with the ability to drill further down to the individual or micro-user preference level. Neat stuff.

Last evening was session number ten of the Canadian Marketing Association's eMarketing Professional Certificate Course. Hard to believe there are only three sessions left in the fall semester already. It seems to have whizzed by. The experience of teaching has been very rewarding as I have a great group of smart students and there is always lively discussion.

The theme of the session was Building Online Buzz and how to drive visitors to your site. One of the items we discussed at length last evening was the viral effect, what it is, what it isn't and how marketers should approach it. There was consensus that "viral" is an outcome, not something that can be planned or requested from your agency. It is a rare thing that is not readily engineered.

There have been many attempts to describe, quantify or qualify what constitutes "viral marketing". I believe the most important point is often overlooked. When something "goes viral" it is the result of great, entertaining, informative, quirky or compelling (and sometime even really bad) content. Its starts with an idea, or concept, not a plan to create a viral campaign. As Seth Godin wrote in Ideavirus , "a big idea that runs amok". The digital world provides the perfect launch platform for big ideas to run wild and instantly reach a wide audience.

It made me think back to 1995, before broadband was pervasive and video was commonplace. My first glimpse at the online viral experience was through an email send by a friend with dozens of other people copied who then proceeded to forward it on. It contained a college admissions letter written by Hugh Gallagher which had taken the status of urban myth at a very early stage of Internet growth.

Today, it seems to have been lost in the shuffle of YouTube, Consumer Generated Content and everything else that captivates us for brief moments. I wanted to bring it back because it is one memorable piece of writing that, for myself at that time, defined the potential of digital channels to reach far and wide. It was before Google, before the Ideavirus and before most people had even surfed the information superhighway. It was an age of digital innocence (apologies for the cheesiness, could not resist).

I Googled a few of the lines that I remembered and up popped the name Hugh Gallagher. So, I thought I would share it with you. If you have not seen it before it is a unique read. A great imagination at work. Enjoy.

Hugh Gallagher's 'College Essay'

3A. ESSAY: IN ORDER FOR THE ADMISSIONS STAFF OF OUR COLLEGE TO GET TO KNOW YOU, THE APPLICANT, BETTER, WE ASK THAT YOU ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

ARE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE HAD, OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU HAVE REALIZED, THAT HAVE HELPED TO DEFINE YOU AS A PERSON?

I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

A theme I have been on lately is copywriting. Here is another example of some very interesting work. Although this is not advertising or marketing copy per se, I'll leave it to you to decide if it is good or great (or junk). It worked for me because I felt it was a smart pairing of copy with an execution that helps it come to life. And, it did not lose it's focus along the way of delivering the core message effectively.

After my first view I thought I could chalk it up to being a bit of a gimmick, but there was more to it than that. Watch it through and see what you think.

Hat tip to Drew McLellan of The Marketing Minute for pointing this out.

This is funny the same way watching Ricky Gervais play David Brent on the original BBC version of The Office is funny (BTW - original BBC version of The Office is a comedic masterpiece - much better than NBC series in my humble opinion). As Greg Verdino points out "you're probably laughing and cringing at the same time." Hat tip to Greg for pointing it out.

Let's call it Sunday Silliness. Or, perhaps just another sign of global warming.

March of the Double Double?

As a kid on Sunday mornings I would wake up and watch reruns of The Three Stooges, old Marx Brothers movies or Animals, Animals, Animals (I could never figure out why Barney Miller hung out at the Zoo so much). So, Sunday has always held a special place for comedy and, considering it is Sunday, I found this funny image to share.

Many clients are users of the GMOOT. It stands for "Get Me One Of Those". Scott Donaton of Advertising Age coined the term that is, unfortunately enough, not a rare phenomenon in practice. While the notion of a "GMOOT" syndrome is not new, we are seeing more and more of it in digital as the marketplace grapples with accelerated growth and transformational change.

Look no further than the explosion of contests where marketers attempt to exploit Consumer Generated Content with lame calls-to-action like "make us a commercial" or "submit your kooky video extolling our product" (this whole CGC thing is itself another post ). GMOOT can be overheard in boardrooms when the agency is asked to "go create a viral marketing campaign", "start a blog" or, "build a community".

Scott contends:

"It's a phenomenon that helps explain why there are so many lousy viral videos and half-assed new-media initiatives out there. They're not the end result of a real strategy, but are done for the sake of doing something because . . . well, because everyone else is."

Steve Rubel of Micro-Persuasion pointed out that the gold rush in Second Life may have been nothing more than GMOOT in action. And Todd Defren of PR Squared (and others) weighed in too. My prediction is that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg as it generates out of the misguided fear of missing an opportunity to look cool or "leading edge".

If there were ever a time when clients need to look deeper into all of the options presented by new media and the evolving digital world, it is now. However, to combat the GMOOT you need to get involved by getting involved. By that I mean involvement on a personal level before the brand level. Be come a lurker and/or an active participant. You can't differentiate by simply doing what others are doing from the outside looking in.

Clients need to work harder than ever to avoid the knee-jerk response that leads to a "get me one of those" discussion. Another way to state the case here is to know what you want and what you are asking for. Assess and investigate the landscape by looking at each individual area as an opportunity to research how individuals are using it. Interact within unique eco-systems and gain a deeper understanding of potential fit. You my end up determining it is not for you, but at least you will know and be able to articulate the case.

And, the agency owns a big part of the responsibility here too. They need to take the keys out of client's hands when they've had too much GMOOT spiked Kool-Aid and want to get in the driver's seat. Agencies with well dressed "yes men" can only lead to trouble. Clients require strategic insight and the right amount of push back when appropriate. And, to know the difference in terms of listening to what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear.

Don't get me wrong. There are huge opportunities and real business applications in these areas. The real issue is how to go about it properly and avoid being caught up in the storm, using tactic after tactic with no strategy.

"What will users think of next?" is how the recent report Broadband: What's All the Fuss About? concludes. Interesting choice of words and keen observation in terms of how they ended the report that began by asking the central question "Why does a high-speed connection at home matter"?

Excerpt from the Pew Internet report:

As the Pew Internet Project first pointed out in 2002 in The Broadband Difference, broadband users are far more likely than dial-up internet users to create or post content to the internet. This means having a blog, posting photos online, or contributing to chat-rooms. Back then, when just 12% of adults had broadband at home, it was possible to imagine that the user-generated content phenomenon was mainly an artifact of early adopters.

Some modest fraction of leading edge users would demand bandwidth to post content online and that would be about it. User-generated content did not, however, stop with early adopters. As home broadband adoption grew, posting and creating content for the internet became more widespread. The Pew Internet Project reported in a 2006 survey that 44% of home broadband users had done at least one of the following activities that involve user-generated content: having one’s own blog or webpage, working on group blogs or webpages, remixing digital content and re-posting it online, or sharing something online created by the user (i.e., artwork, photos, stories, or videos).

Let's look at that figure again - "44% of home broadband users" have created, shared or been otherwise involved in active participation within the medium. This is not simply clicking on a banner, forwarding an email or using Google to search, it is much much more. And, it is not just young people as "31% of those over age 50 with a broadband connection at home had engaged in at least one of these activities." It is quite amazing and, in the words of The Carpenters, "We've only just begun".

Teaching the Canadian Marketing Association's eMarketing Professional Certificate Course, I led the first session of the course by discussing the growth in broadband and what it means for us as marketers and as users. Last week we took a look at Social Media, Conversations, Communities, Content. The tough part in teaching last week's session was simply that there was not enough time to cover all of the information. This area is growing daily and it gets more and more exciting to work in. (Don't worry, we have ten more sessions to address it further).

It made me think about one of the topics we discussed: Online Virtual Worlds. We used Second Life as a point of reference and the general tone (say about 75% of the class) was still a bit dismissive of the idea that it was anything to pay attention to. Still for nerds who don't have a first life and a novelty with no bottom-line for business applications.

While I tend to look at Second Life pragmatically and see it for what it represents, not what it is necessarily today, we need look no further than the Pew Study to validate that the digital experience is shaping up to be more rich, immersive and rewarding than we could ever have imagined. And that is the whole point really, that we need to re-imagine what is possible and prevent ourselves from putting limits on where things will go. It is quite evident this train is not slowing down anytime soon.

Joseph Jaffe is taking a page from Christopher Penn's "Bum Rush The Charts" play-book as inspiration for his new print offering titled Join The Conversation.

I support this for a few reasons. First, Joseph's previous book "Life After The Thirty-Second Spot" changed my paradigm of thought (as well as many others) on the future of marketing. If you have not read that yet, go get it right now! Second, I consider Joseph to be a friend and, being the great guy that he is, I can't help but get on board. And third, I contributed to the book back in the spring when he asked friends, foes, colleagues, peers, pundits, protagonists, detractors, trouble makers and social media mavens to actually jump in and join the conversation with short essays to be included in the book. As usual he was walking his talk and I am excited to see my contribution along side all of the contributions. Does this mean I can now claim to be published, or at least co-published? (I need to give my parents something to talk about with their friends.)

Join The Conversation has a lot to live up to with respect to the impact he had with his first book, LA30 but I am looking forward to it and so should you.

Two very interesting videos I came across today. First one found courtesy of Mitch Joel of Six Pixels Of Separation and the second from Chris Penn of Awaken Your Superhero and The Financial Aid Podcast.

Enjoy while you learn. Learn while you enjoy.

It took a week for Interpol to narrow down the search and have now identified the man they seek as a teacher living in South Korea. MSNBC reports "Interpol said security cameras captured the man arriving Thursday at Bangkok International Airport from Seoul, South Korea."

Again, the point behind mentioning this story here on a marketing-based blog is to tap into our shared connectedness in the digital age. A look at my web analytics and visitor traffic to The Client Side shows me that people from all over the world have been here and continue to check things out on a regular basis. Thailand, Korea, Russia, India and many other countries I could never have expected are indeed checking out The Client Side (mind you, not in droves, but heres to hoping the word spreads!).

Again, in the case of assisting with a manhunt for a pedophile, every little bit helps - even a simple blog entry. It is really about "Six Pixels of Separation".

This blog is not usually a place for helping with Interpol manhunts. However, I came across this story about a pedophile who's digitally altered photo was unscrambled to uncover his real identity and figured I could actually help. The full details can be found at WIRED. Here is the picture that was released:

Photo Caption:

These images made available by Interpol in Paris, Monday Oct. 8, 2007 show an unidentified man after, left, and before the digital manipulation of the image. For the first time, Interpol issued a worldwide public appeal for help to identify a suspected pedophile, which it said was shown sexually abusing children in photos posted on the Internet. The international police organization said German specialists had succeeded in producing identifiable images of the man, from the original pictures, where his face had been digitally blurred, but the man's identity and nationality remain unknown, prompting Interpol's public appeal. (AP Photo/Interpol, ho)

With over 80 million blogs and social networks that count members in the hundreds of millions, we are all connected. Multiply that by those who grab RSS feeds and/or Digg and tag the news and conversations and we are part of a collective powerhouse never before seen. We don't have to wait for the news at 11, or open the morning paper to passively sit back and let the world wash over us. We now have the networked power to become active in events and extend the reach of story and make a difference, no matter how small.

My guess is that this person photographed will be nailed in a very short amount of time. There are already over 200 leads and counting.

So can I help catch this guy? Yes, and so can you.

The people have spoken and answered Marc Ecko's call-to-action. Barry Bonds' record breaking home run ball will be sent to Cooperstown, branded with an asterisk.

When you take a step back and see this for what it is, it is really not a sports story at all. It is more about our connected world and how things are changing in new and unexpected ways at a societal level.

Let's hope these changes begin to take place on a larger scale with an impact on real world issues , like the unfolding and unfortunate situation in Burma.

I love it. The controversy over Barry Bonds continues courtesy of fashion designerMark Ecko over at Vote756.com.

Mark bought the record breaking home run ball for a mere $750,000 and is now putting it's fate in our collective hands. What a world we live in today. I could never have imagined such a scenario while growing up watching the superstars of baseball when I was a lad. What an interesting twist facilitated by the digital world.

I think I need to take in another viewing of Ken Burns amazing Baseball series to remind myself of the true romance of the game I used to love so much. Am I nostalgic for the past purity of the game? Perhaps. It is just sad and unfortunate we have to look back there for a sense of what the game is really all about.

Hat to the gents at Chaos Scenario for pointing this one out.

For fans of NBC TV series The Office, you may be interested to know that The Office site now has videos of each cast member letting fans know what they did over the summer. (For the record, the original BBC version with Ricky Gervais was far superior.)

NBC has hit a groove in terms of promoting the show by offering out new content to keep fans laughing and remind them that the next season starts in a couple of weeks. It is not exactly a stroke of sheer brilliance, but it is smart. And, goes hand in glove with the site's content extras that keep fans coming back for more.

Speaking of NBC, how about Dick In A Box picking up an Emmy last night. How smart do they look after letting it go onto YouTube and not pulling it like paranoid parents of copyright material as they demonstrated with Lazy Sunday. I wonder if it would have picked up an Emmy without the exposure (no pun intended) on YouTube? At last count there were over 27 MILLION views - I think it had something to do with it.

"Everyone have a nice summer? Go to swim camp? Eat Snow Cones? Pony Rides? Go to the summer solstice festival? Yeah? Well, summers over, time to get back to work!"

Tony Hung over at Deep Jive Interests has a great post on the subject of Ad Blocking and how the legal battle to stop it will likely serve to raise awareness and create more users of the software. I tend to agree with that position.

Tony cites this article from CNet news that sets the background for the debate.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau has said that it is an "issue that is just now ripening" and they "don't want to go down a route that would seem adversarial". They do, however, state that "People are free to ignore ads, and they often do that, but when you have a third party blocking those ads, that's the real problem." Sounds like the lawyers are teed up to become the short-term beneficiaries of this issue.

The debate is lively and will be interesting to follow. I know how I feel about it as both a consumer and an advertiser and would love to know what you think.

Don't bother to ask why but, I just spent some time on YouTube looking at Skittles ads. Now I don't know what the folks in the Skittles marketing department or their agency have been smoking, but it seems to be working quite well for them.

Is It Awesome? Watch and see.

Skittles leaking from the ceiling? My kids want that kind of problem in their rooms.

And, the singing bunny is cute too (but a bit annoying). Not worth the trade.

Yes, it was a slow day. Hat tip to Right-Half Chow

I love the power of a good headline.

I took this word-for-word from MyFox Memphis story on the recent scandal in Washington.

I have nothing to say on this story except to note that what we marketing bloggers often lack is the opportunity to employ crazy headlines like this that. The kind of headlines that do all the heavy lifting to pull in new readers and gather attention, regardless of what is underneath them.

I believe that journalists know a lot more about marketing then we give them credit for. Although, politicians make their job very easy at times (well, all the time really).

It is not the homemade sign I have a problem with, I happen to think it does a decent job attracting attention in a kitschy kind-of-way. Its the “you do the math” part that always strikes me as odd. Perhaps the thought was “lets show the lowest possible price to win customers”?. Whatever the case, it simply reminds us of something we cannot avoid.

Simple things can position a small business as a real alternative to the big chain next door. What if the sign read: “ $2.25 Bagel and Coffee. NO TAX !! ”?

Most people assume prices are listed before tax. On an item like a bagel and coffee, the thirteen cents does not make or break the sale or influence a purchase one way or another.

The deciding factor is about convenience, quality and service. Most people will happily pay a bit more if they are greeted with a smile from a pleasant natured person who helps them get on their way. Most folks would likely appreciate knowing the exact change in their pockets will cover everything - a nice round figure that sticks out in pre-caffeinated minds as they race to catch a train.

Turn the negative of what we know we can't avoid into a postive that reminds us you are on our side.

This little snack counter is located right next a Second Cup location in a subway station in mid-town Toronto (for non-Canucks, Second Cup is a major Canadian coffee chain - read Starbucks with a spash of maple syrup). By missing the little things and behaving like the guys next door, they miss an opportunity to differentiate with thousands of commuters that walk by each and every day.

When it comes down to pennies, don't make us count. And, please, don't remind us of the one thing everyone hates being reminded of - especially before we have had our morning coffee.

Can you throw that down again? says the voice in the drive-thru.

I love this little consumer-generated content piece of two blokes rappin' at the McDonalds drive-thru window. A bit old but I had not seen it yet, so I thought I'd share in case you had not seen it either.

If the rappin McNuggets guys were not enough (see the updated commercialized version of their CGC spot below), this 2:27 spot already has close to 8,000,000 views. I wonder what McDonalds will do with all of of this content becomes part of thier online entertainment portfolio? I think Ronald has found his Fifteen Megs of Fries.

Here is the new "commercialized" version of the McNuggets Rap:

You've come a long way McNugget baby:

Hat tip to Brad R for pointing out the freestyle video.

Remember those scenes from movies and TV when jet pilots, astronauts or other specialists went into "the simulator" to be trained and prepared for real world experience? We all believed it was the best that one could do to achieve readiness before action, right?

I was very intrigued to find this WIRED article titled "Wii + Second Life = New Training Simulator" by Steve Mollman talking about how the combination of the Wii controller and Second Life are a seemingly killer application for the future of training.

Real-world simulations like these are perfectly suited to Nintendo's Wiimote, says MIT research fellow David E. Stone. In fact, he claims the motion-sensitive controller is "one of the most significant technology breakthroughs in the history of computer science."

The WIRED article is interesting in that, given Stone's proclamation that this has killer potential, the featured business application was Orkin (the pest control company) who are using Second Life and Wii to train inspectors. Not a bad example, but lacked the fireworks for me given the wide-ranging ways in which the power of these tools could be combined and harvested.

Of course there are more mentions of applications (meaning the ones that may have more societal value):

Among Stone's other clients are a medical-devices firm and a global-energy company focused on power-plant training -- both looking to reduce training costs. Prospective additional clients include a private research foundation looking into driver safety and a consortium of European universities interested in a virtual cancer lab.

With that wider scope, the implications and applications are literally huge. Think of all the large projects (i.e home renovations, assembly line work) or training scenarios for occupations that could be covered off. Just imagine how the match-book diploma courses offering up TV and gun repair can now be administered.

How about something as small as building an Ikea product with a virtual hammer and allen-key to see how all of it goes together before you screw it up and have to do it all over again in first-life. (Yes, that happens to everyone, not just you. That’s why Ikeas are always located just far enough away that you won't want to drive back, park all over again and fill out a "Return Billy" form).

Creating a virtual "hands on" experience with a tool like Wii has so many avenues that I am getting a headache. The interactive learning aspect is so much more powerful than any diagram or video could ever be because active simply trumps passive. Imagine the litany of items that could come with instructions that simply read "To learn how to use this product properly, go to ....".

We are living in such an interesting time as marketers and communicators. A time where we all are creative and can rethink how our products or services are brought to consumers in big, bold and compelling ways. I love it.

Now before I go, here is the thing about online simulation training that I simply cannot digest when it comes to real life skill building. If it really works then why am I not the leading scorer in the NHL or collecting top earnings on the PGA tour? Or at least a small time ex-con that has worked his way to the top ranks of the crime syndicate?" I am that good while comfortably seated at my PC with some snack food at my side. Could it be that I am using the keyboard instead of the Wiimote?

Either way, I think this image below sums up my last point fairly well:

There are many ways individuals and teams conduct themselves within the spectrum of business management and operations to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiencies. Whether it be in day-to-day tasks, project management or strategic steering of the big corporate ship (or little business canoe), typically, it boils down to three items when things are going well, or when they are hitting a snag:

Leadership, Communication, Coordination.

The essence of effectiveness is having all three working simultaneously with the right balance. Apply these to any initiative big or small, personal or professional, and see what happens. Be it internal or external parties, people skills, routine processes, customer relationships or crisis management and you can't go wrong - they transcend being a master of MS Project, VISIO or Power Point.

Habitually asking whether they are being applied consciously or unconsciously is a good thing. Identifying if they are currently part of getting to a happy place or, if they are conspicuously absent and causing problems is well worth the time and effort. While there are certainly other variables and aspects for consideration that help create a winning combination along side these three, the ones mentioned here tend to comprise a common denominator for success or potentially failure.

Just my thought of the day. I'd love your comments and your views on the interplay of these items - or what you have found successful in the area of managing, bringing a diverse range of people and projects together.

Is this my Fifteen Megs of Fame?

A little while back I was contacted by Lilly Dustbin from Blog To and asked to answer a bunch of questions for The Blog TO Blogerati files.

The Blogerati Files features Toronto-based bloggers, delving into what
they are all about and their connection to the city. It was a fun exercise
looking back on why I began my blog and some nostalgic tripping on why I love
this town called hog.

According to Lilly, my interview is the last in this style for the files. She starts the post with this intro:

Over the past two years The Blogerati Files has featured many great interviews with local blogging favourites. It's time to shake up the format and spread the spotlight. Until then, this will be the last interview-style Blogerati Files post...

I am honored to be last in the line up of interviews they have conducted.

Check out the interview over at Blog TO and take a look at some of the other
stuff they've got going on there.

Shout-out to Collin Douma of Radical Trust for sending Lily over to The Client Side.

From the first listen I thought "this is what the mash-up is all about". As sacrosanct as The Beatles are in my world, this mix works. The Beatles vs Nine Inch Nails?!?! Who wudda thunk.

I'm not certain how many copyright laws are being broken with this little gem, but enjoy it before it gets yanked away - which I suspect will be sometime soon.

Warning: Lyrics not for children.

Hat tip to The Podfather

....but I somehow found myself watching Victoria Beckham Comes To America (it was on in the background as I was working on the laptop - I swear). However, I found myself turning my head to watch at a few points.

I'm not any better for it, but I am not any worse. This bit of reality TV, which seemed a bit more like a documentary than your average schlock, was interesting because it was a Brit going through the culture shock of a move to L.A. No easy feat, not even for Posh Spice.

I found a bit of a difference in terms of watch-ability because it seemed to be shot in a pseudo-documentary style. I caught myself wondering if reality shows might become more watchable if there was a conscious shift to make them more in this manner? My guess is no. And, I'm certain Ken Burns has not been lined up to produce anything in this genre anytime soon. And that is a good thing.

This stuff cannot even be called reality, can it? I mean who's reality is this anyway? It is not mine and likely not yours. The only saving grace was that at one point, Victoria shows up in a coffee shop to surprise Perez Hilton and beret him about why he has been so mean to her on his blog. It was interesting to see that she singled out a blogger as an influencer and critic to be reckoned with. All this as the mainstream media hounds waited outside.

At one point, she tells Perez that her breasts are "not really that big" in person, and while he agrees he tells her that he would much rather see a nude picture of her husband David Beckham than of her! For my dime, that was the only reality part of the entire show.

Lingering question is "why am I blogging about this"? I don't know either. Let's call it a slow day.

"There is no reason in this day and age that we should be conforming to a physical device" according to Jeff Han, research scientist for New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

He goes on to say "I cringe at the idea that we are going to introduce a whole new generation of people to computing with the standard mouse and windows pointer interface".

Just watched this very cool demo from the TED series of what could become the future in terms of how we interact with our machines.

Hat tip to Shari Roitman via the New Media group in Facebook started by Jeremy Vaught.

Here is an interesting initiative called The Second Chane Trees Reforestation Project that purports to bridge the reach of online to effect positive change offline.

As we look to do our part to help our planet recover from the damage we have collectively inflicted, for the most part over the past 100 years or so, it is really a small way to get involved. By the same token, I hope this is all legit. I tend to be a weary of things like this simply because there are so many scams going on in the digital space, like the recent ploy to copyOne Red Paper Clip fraud in China. UPDATE: See comments section - social media friend Paull Young of the Forward Podcast was part of this.

Anyhow, here is how the program is described:

The Second Chance Trees Reforestation Project uses Second Life as a platform to teach visitors about the planet’s endangered rainforests and the dangers of deforestation. For every tree you buy and plant in Second Life, a real tree will be carefully planted in the real world.

There seems to be a link with American Express in terms being the only form of payment. I'm not certain what it is but would love to learn more background. Was Amex involved in some way or helping the cause?

Sounds like a good idea, only problem I have is that it is linked only to Second Life and could perhaps have a much bigger impact if it were taken across multiple online communities. Maybe that will be a phase two plan. Either way, help spread the word.

Hat tip to Andy Beal.

It makes a lot of sense that certain online trends mimic our offline rituals. Shopping is, and will likely always be, a social event more than a transaction. Take a peek into any mall and see for yourself. And, as far as purchasing goes, we guide our decisions based on trusted sources of information, seeking opinions and advice of those who are like ourselves. Nothing new here, right?

So, it should come as no surprise that, according to a new study on what is driving eCommerce in Canada, a link has been established between the social web (and social media applications) and online shopping propensity. The survey, conducted by J.C Williams (sponsored by VISA and Yahoo!), asserts that:

... the shopping habits of consumers who purchase online to those of consumers who use the Web but buy only offline, indicated that more online buyers use networking tools and platforms to share opinions, insights, experiences and perspectives than their offline buying counterparts. Compared to Web surfers who did not make online purchases, online buyers in the study were more than twice as likely to have written a product review (29 percent versus nine percent), twice as likely to have posted video content to the Web (19 percent versus eight percent), and more likely to have written a blog (35 percent versus 21 percent).

Interesting finding that this social web savvy cohort is more likely to shop online, meaning that the social context seems to be enabling and supporting increased commerce in this channel. All good.

The key question, according to Yahoo!'s Hunter Madsen, is "whether the information-sharing habits developed in online communities are creating a secondary benefit, by somehow raising propensity to shop online as well. You could call it the Social Engagement Effect on E-Commerce." Madsen, a former social scientist who directs marketing for Yahoo! in Canada, noted that "marketers have been somewhat hesitant up to now to advertise in the Web's community sites, for a variety of reasons. But this study suggests that, other things being equal, social networking sites are where they'll find some of their most responsive shoppers. When one considers that the 'social networking' phenomenon is just taking off in Canada, the potential benefits for online commerce look promising."

Marketers need to realize the importance of being a trusted brand in online corridors.It is tantamount to unlocking a vault of potential profits. While I don't think that it is a riveting revelation that social web is correlated to commerce and it could be a bit of a "chicken and egg" scenario with audiences polled in this survey, this is ultimately a good news story for all involved.

My question is how social will it go? How much trust and faith will we layer into our web-based communities to help us make the right purchases online? Will we seek advice and feedback on the most intimate of shopping related matters? In other words, will we ever be bold enough to ask if our online purchase of pants makes our offline butts look too big? Will our trusted communities answer with honestly, or with cautious diplomacy?

Why has my fine city been such a hot bed of activity on Facebook? I am still a bit unclear, but this article from the Toronto Star titled "Why is T.O. the capital of Facebook?" has some interesting theories on how we are now at close to 700,000 users of the addictive site.

The theories include our ubiquitous broadband connectivity, one of the highest disposable incomes per capita in Canada, our culture of being early adopters of new technology (like Facebook is so high tech!) and, that those who were initially resisting finally caved in because everyone including their pets had a profile and were growing their friends list. It's the "join 'em because I can't beat 'em" mentality.

My guess? I think we all went to summer camp together and are getting nostalgic.

Hat tip to Tony Hung for the article

Overheard conversation between prisoner and parole board in the not too distant future:

“Okay folks, here is what I have on tap to walk the straight and narrow for when I get out. First, I’ll set myself up on Twitter and Jaiku so I can tell you all about what I am up to. Then, I’ll put all my co-ordinates in Facebook and create a group of all my questionable “associates” so you can see the company I am keeping. Then, I’ll set myself up with a Frapper map and get hooked into Plazes for mobile tracking via GPS.”

Ankle-Bracelets?!?! We don’t need no stinking Ankle-Bracelets.

In an age of where privacy has taken a front-seat and rules our lives with the omnipresent fear factor of having our identities stolen or our personal details exposed to the world, I am constantly amazed at the new ways in which we are allowing ourselves to be tracked at all times and at every angle. Is it a master plan of government agencies to turn us into our own virtual parole officers?

My take on things may be a tad extreme, and I am not saying there is a direct link to identity theft or other crimes of that nature through any of these applications. However there are an increasing number of services and tools that are enabling an open view of our lives, eroding the very walls that were constructed to safeguard our privacy in the first place.

I, for one, am not at all interested in others knowing exactly what I am doing at any point in time (really, it is not usually that interesting) nor do I want people knowing where I am or where I have been. I’m just not ready for that level of constant disclosure.

It will be quite interesting to follow the developments in this area and see what comes of the ability to track our every move and whether digital and wireless technology will be a true friend or foe in this context. In the meantime, I’ll be looking at which system works the best so I can employ it when my daughter starts dating in 10 years.

This one time, at BankCamp...

Yes you are reading right. The same unconference model of BarCamp, DemoCamp, PodCamp and CaseCamp now brings us BarCampBank. Very interesting and, well, niche to say the least.

Here is how the Wiki describes the event:

What is a BarCamp & BarCampBank?

BarCamps are part of an international network of “unconferences“. They are open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants. Many focus on early-stage web applications, and related open source technologies and social protocols. The name is a playful allusion to its origins, with reference to the hacker slang term “Foo Bar“. The BarCamp movement arose as a spin-off from Foo Camp, an annual invitation-only unconference hosted by open source publishing leader, Tim O'Reilly.

BarCampBank events are organized internationally to foster innovation in banking, credit unions, and finance. BarCampBankSeattle will be sixth BarCampBank event and the first held in the United States.

I see that William Azaroff is attending. Nice to see bankers on the West coast stirring it up a bit. Hat tip to Mitch Joel for sending my way

News just in that Terry Semel has stepped down at Yahoo! with co-founder Jerry Yang to take over.

Read the full story here at Yahoo! (as reported by AP).

In case you had not already heard, Forrester released a report this week titled “Worldwide PC Adoption Forecast” and predicted the PC market would hit the one billion by next year, reaching the two billion mark by 2015. Read the full story over at CBC.ca

Growth in the coming years will be mainly from the developing markets in India, China Brazil and Russia. Forrester predicted that half a billion of that growth will be from China alone. Staggering.

I took pause for a moment and just had to think of all those new friends to find on Facebook, not to mention all the new email addresses to access to send bad jokes and chain letters to!

Interesting news on the broadcast front today as Rogers Media announced the purchase of CITYTV stations in Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver for $375 million.

CITYTV, founded in 1972 by Moses Znaimer has been a true success story in developing unique programming and adding local flavour to the airwaves.

Growing up with awesome independent programming like The New Music, Toronto Rocks, Fashion Television, Speakers Corner, City Lights with Brian Linehan (the best interviewer on TV, ever), The Shulman File, Movie Television, repeats of SCTV and, of course, City News was a staple of life and culture in this city. I hope that retaining the nature of unique and interesting content reflective of the local communities they serve remains part of the plan for Rogers Media.

What a run it was for The Sopranos. Eighty-six episodes of what will likely be considered one of the best TV dramas ever has come to end and will be missed.

This post is nothing more than a quick thank-you to all the folks at HBO for having the guts to produce television that was so markedly different, innovative, artistic and entertaining. I think I speak for all fans of the show when I say that a chapter in our lives has now closed, demonstrating it is "better to burn out than to fade away" (Neil Young)

My only marketing related comment is that The Sopranos was one of those shining examples of how an excellent product spreads by word-of-mouth, marketing itself because it is remarkable enough to talk about.

Bye guys, and get better soon Sil.

While in New York this week, I received a surprising note from Scott Cress regarding the plagiarism incident involving my blog from four months ago. Here is what Scott wrote:

Michael,

I would have written you earlier, but I actually just "rediscovered" your blog and your posting on Plagiarism.

First of all, I would like to apologize. My intent was never to pass your original work (or other's) off as my own. I simply did not think about referencing the source. The cressfamily blog is little more than a platform for my extended family to share information (it really does not get much "outside the family traffic") and for me to experiment. I was/am not attempting to profit by any means from the blog. I recall getting an email from someone (not sure if it was you or someone else) about something I had put on the blog. I took the email as a request to remove the posting, which I did. Anyway, I've learned my lesson and will make sure that I give credit to any sites that have something interesting that I want to share with my family.

If anything, it is interesting to see how small the Internet really is... Our family blog gets maybe 5-10 visits a day.

Scott

Unfortunately for Scott, the nature of our new connected world is that, even though he has apologized, his reputation has taken a hit. No, I do not wield that much influence, but Google does. When you Google his name, The Client Side post shows up on page 1 listed at number 6 and 7 regarding the incident. It is becoming more and more of reality that you are who Google says you are. There are a whole new set of rules and judges for reputation management out there that we all need to be aware of.

This is rich. It would appear that Felix Petersen, CEO of Plazes, was caught in a rather embarrassing situation. His software has the ability, via Wi-Fi, to point out your location on a map. All fine and good unless you have lied about where you are and someone decides to look you up.

That is precisely what happened when he skipped out on a recent speaking engagement. Tisk Tisk. Felix, you have some s'plaining to do.

Hat tip to Neville Hobson for pointing out the story. (Neville has some explaining of his own to do for calling me a lunatic on For Immediate Release # 245 - he and Shel need to get there Bellinas in order).

It was forty years ago today The Beatles released Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band into the world and changed the way people thought of (and listened to) popular music. And, in it's own way, is likely responsible for all the horrendous tie-dye fashions that followed.

It was one of the most important and influential albums of all-time, the pay-off for taking the risk of re-establishing themselves as artists capable of creating something totally unlike what they had done previously, but still uniquely The Beatles (although musically I actually prefer Rubber Soul). In doing so, they re-branded the band and everything shifted and exploded from that point forward.

Let's be clear that John, Paul, George and Ringo did not invent the psychedelic sound, nor it could be argued that they perfected it in any way. More importantly, what they did was embrace a changing culture and called it their own. They put an indelible stamp on the start of an era and owned it. (No doubt pushed along by some recreational experimentation.)

It was also a sad transformation of sorts. The Beatles completed the musical (and aesthetic) transition from their "mop-top" days. It was a radical departure. Revolver became the last vestige of the fab four. In the pre-pepper era, one could easily trace the timeline back to four lads in uniforms singing in harmony. Post-pepper complicated that. They could never go back. They burned their ships.

So, happy birthday Sgt. Pepper. You are still very hip and enjoyable at forty and will likely remain so for at least another forty.

Sam The Record Man will be closing their doors for good in late June. Sad news but a sign of the times as the digital world begins to take it's toll on old retail giants who are long past their time.

“We are making a responsible decision in recognizing the status of the record industry and the increasing impact of technology,” said Bobby Sniderman, son of founder Sam Sniderman, in a press release.

We'll miss you Sam and all that you did for the recording industry and Canadian music. Your presence on Yonge Street will be missed by many.

I've been a big fan of The Hard Sell which appears in The Globe and Mail Report On Business section (either Tuesdays or Wednesdays - I think)

So I thought it was pretty cool that The Hard Sell has a blog. It looks like the blog has been around for a while although I had not seen it before. I found it because Keith McArthur linked to The Client Side - which I think is pretty cool considering I have been reading his Hard Sell column for a long time and it is one of the print items I look forward to reading each week. As the description goes, "Keith McArthur writes about the latest marketing trends, advertising campaigns and industry gossip."

Maybe Keith will come on The Client Side Podcast to discuss the good an bad examples of what the ad world is dishing out these days.

Speaking of ads I want to talk about (but will save for another post over the weekend) is the latest from Rona that I have caught on HGTV or W Network lately. These ads deserve a sound thrashing sooner rather than later. I'll be back on that one asap.

If you have seen Weeds, the opening credits on the show lays bare our cookie-cutter culture quite brilliantly. Our mass production and consumption cycle, which has been a staple for generations, is transforming in today's on-demand and dare-to-be-different empowered world.

For years large corporations and machine driven factories have knocked out
the same items at low cost, stocking stores and shelves and satiating our ever increasing
societal desires to consume whatever our neighbours are consuming. If you have ever watched the James Burke series Connections, you will understand what I mean when I say we are in a struggle to escape the trappings of the industrialized world we created and have grown accustomed to.

Our media was not any different – it too was industrialized. Our TV's and radios were stocked with the same content produced for the masses from the same factories. We all had what each other had. We all watched what each other watched. We did not have a chance or means to effect choice. We could not exert control over what was produced. For a long time we called that progress and settled in convinced it was the only way. We had driven ourselves into a homogeneous state and were, unfortunately, left felling a little less than unique individuals along the way.

I believe things have changed for good. We now covet those items that serve to individualize us more, not less. As an example, the iPod does this brilliantly. Yes, it is trendy in form/design and, yes, it is mass produced in a factory. However, it changes the game fundamentally in terms of how it functions. They (Apple) managed to take a mass produced item geared Joe Public and turn it into a device that is a reflection of who we are and want to be as individuals - disrupting how we interact with music and media in our lives. Its core function facilitates being more individual than ever before.

But more so, Apple is a disrupter through and through. They went deep into the end zone by disrupting how media is actually produced (podcasts, vcasts), distributed (iTunes, feeds) and created a masterful vision for how the device would transcend being just another device in a world full of devices. And, it is all situated and centred around you and I as unique entities - knowing we will each use it differently.

The rise of Social Media and controlling our Personal Media is where it is all going and
there really is no looking back. It is not about changing channels or rudimentary time-
shifting our TV watching anymore, it is about designing and creating our own streams of
content. We are the artist and the audience all at the same time.
Playing with media, selecting, customizing and mashing it up every which way to suit our
unique tastes, situations and needs is a wonderful leap we have taken together. It is not
only about the iPod, it is about the digital culture and the creativity that
is being unleashed everywhere.

And, because of this, marketers will need to go well beyond the old advertising models as they simply won’t work. Platforms and methods of communication designed for the masses will not work at the individual level today. (This is so much more than User Generated Content in the form of a Super Bowl ad. In my opinion that is a lame duck and there is so much more going on worth discussing.)

To be successful we will need new thinking to match the change as society diverges away from mainstream controls into unique cliques and communities. We will need to take heroic risks in order to acquire, retain and grow customer relationships that once, comparatively, seemed so easy.

So, where are we at today? Well, we have already seen the foundations of big media begin to deteriorate while they contemplate what’s next and jockey for position. Consumers are increasingly inattentive to our interruptive tactics. We now know of the concepts like “The Long Tail” and “Slivercasting” and have come to grips with the reality that broadcast audiences are dwindling. Looked at another way, we have been at the buffet for a long time getting fat without exercising. We need to think more about nutritional micro-meals appropriate for each unique taste palate, and board-up the drive-though which never satisfies anyone.

Just as in 16th Century England, the Reformation put wheels into motion and effected change we can still see and feel today, hundreds of years later. In terms of a marketing reformation, the usurping of big media by the individual is not the first domino to fall, nor will it be the last. It is, however, a very significant one that will be viewed historically as a fundamental game-changing event. To witness this on our watch is to witness history.

Google has made another move to buy a chunk of the future with the acquisition of FeedBurner.

Read the story over at TechCrunch. And a big ol' hat tip to Dr.Tony Hung at Deep Jive Interests where I first read about it.

David Eaves from The Globe And Mail wrote an interesting piece today on why Facebook should not be banned.

David writes:

To public-service executives, Facebook may appear to be little more than a silly distraction. But it needn't be. Indeed, it could be the very opposite. These technology platforms increasingly serve as a common space, even a community, a place where public servants could connect, exchange ideas and update one another on their work. Currently, the public service has a different way of achieving those goals: It's called meetings, or worse, e-mail. Sadly, as anyone who works in a large organizations knows, those two activities can quickly consume a day, pulling one away from actual work. Facebook may "waste time" but it pales in comparison to the time spent in redundant meetings and answering a never-ending stream of e-mails.

I agree with David that there are many time wasters at work and that bans on one website are not a silver bullet by any means. Simply, there are distractions everywhere. As free-thinking adults who manage to show up on time each day, we are ultimately responsible for our own conduct. Things like coming back from lunch on time, not sitting and reading the paper or a novel all day in our offices, or standing at the water cooler and chatting with collegues until the whistle blows are where we are able to monitor and measure our own slacking. At least Facebook managed to keep people at their desks!

But let's agree that it is very hard for organzations IT and HR groups to simply look the other way or rationalize why they should not clamp down. I am very serious here. It is human nature to want to control how others behave, I know this from my persuasive new friend Heath Slawner.

Let's also agree that not everyone is responsible enough to mind the store on their own. And, those charged with supervising others are sometimes justified to use whatever enablers they have at their disposal, whether we like it or not (oh, I just know I am going to get beat up on that point). So, while I don't agree with bans I do understand where they are rooted and their nature.

Read the full story from The Globe And Mail " Don't Ban Facebook " .

On another note, a few fellow Facebookers informed me that Scotiabank has blocked access to Facebook (along with YouTube). UPDATE: It was only a temporary access restriction

So, for those of you reading, add me as a friend on Facebook - but please be patient if I don't accept immediately Monday - Friday during business hours.

I could care less about the pomposity and self-inflatedness of Conrad Black. Here is a guy who's ego arrives for dinner a full ten minutes before his physical form sits his super 1000 coverd-arse down at whichever wainscoted-walled restaurant that is lucky enough to have him.

What I find interesting about the trial is that that the sensationalist coverage is really about the media loving themselves and the demise of a past mogul. A lynching of sorts that everyone seems more that happy to participate in and report on. The Black brand was never for the masses, yet reporters are mobbing him everyday on the steps of the courthouse like he is Michael Jackson. I find it all amusing because I don't think anyone really cares that much.

Either way, Toronto Life Magazine has been chronicling the trial each day at blog called Conradblacktrial.com and have been driving traffic to the site in a variety of ways, including this little card that I was handed yesterday on the streets of downtown Toronto.

Not that it matters much, but the votes so far seem to favor a not guilty verdict for Black.

Apart from all that nonsense, my favorite part of conradblacktrial.com site is the ticker counting-up (by the second) the dollars spent by Black on his legal defense. Now that is a real LOL.

Mish just sent me the link to Seth Godin's new pdf manifesto titled "Pushing Past The Dip - How To Become The Best In The World" in advance of the publication of his new book titled "The Dip". Seth even has a nifty new blog dedicated to The Dip.

I scanned the first few pages of the pdf and, while it seems to be in the same mould as all of his other fantastic ideas that he has turned into best-selling books (if not a wee bit reguritated from one book to the next), I know I will love it.

Other maifestos from Seth and other authors and instigators can be found at Change This.

Don't be a dip. Check it out. ; )

I saw Sean Moffitt on CITY TV being interviewed about Facebook by Amber MacArthur last week, so I dropped by Buzz Canuck to see if he posted about it. As I was checking things out at the always great Buzz Canuck blog, I found this lovely little graphic that says it all.

On a related note, a buddy at work told me that an old friend that we have in common from our high school days has just posted some old pictures of all us boys (including yours truly) from way back long ago when "Twitter" simply referred those involuntary bodily reactions the morning after a bad night of boozing.

Okay, let me be crystal clear on this. When your Facebook page has shots of yourself from back in the days before the Internet came along, when you actually had hair, as my 2 year-old say, " uh oh, sumpins wrong".

Leave it to the government. They would much rather have staffers waste time and taxpayer's money on other things.

Here is what the article from the Toronto Star said about the banning of Facebook in Ontario Govenment offices:

To the surprise of thousands of Ontario government employees as well as Liberal aides, MPPs, and cabinet ministers, the 21 million-member social networking tool is now off limits.

When workers tried to log on to their accounts yesterday, they were greeted with the same "access denied" message that pops up on their screens should someone attempt to download pornography on an Ontario government computer.

"The Internet website that you have requested has been deemed unacceptable for use for government business purposes," the warning reads.

Facebook joins YouTube, online poker gambling websites and hardcore sex sites as verboten in any provincial government office across Ontario, said Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips.

But similar rival MySpace is still accessible to provincial government employees at work.

Facebook is prohibited from being used on computers in some – but not all – federal departments in Ottawa but the provincial ban affects every Ontario ministry.

"The staff determined it's not as directly related to the workplace as we'd like it to be so we're restricting access to it," Phillips told the Toronto Star.

So, what do you think about the ban? Shortsighted? Prudent? (I already know what you think about this, I'm just pimping for comments!)

Did we just jump the shark? A print magazine for bloggers and podcasters? Huh?

Yes indeedy it is a true, there is a now a Blogger and Podcaster Magazine. Adrants posted the story. I checked the date on the cover and it did not say April 1st, so I guess this is for real.

Scoble is not really in the centre-fold (thank goodness), but he made the cover. Will that be the new measure of popularity and status in the blogosphere and podosphere, seeing yourself on the cover of a pdf publication? Either way, I should go get a haircut (just in case).

Reruns of WKRP in Cincinnati pretty much got me through my teenage years. As geeky as this sounds, I can answer nearly any WRKP trivia question. Want to test me? Leave a comment or call into my podcast (206 666 2242). No matter if it is Fever, Flytrap, Tarlek or Quarters (huge crush on her when I was a lad) or the Big Guy, I know all and am all knowing with WKRP.

Anyhow, for fans of the show (and I know there are many) you will be happy to know (or pehaps not) that the DVD of Season One was just released. However, there is a catch – they are not the definitive full episodes. I caught a piece in the new and improved Globe & Mail that stated:

Hard-core fans of the program have described the release as a “travesty” and an “abomination”. And those are the good reviews.

The article explains further:

According to a source who worked at MTM Enterprises (now owned by News Corp.) when WKRP was being remastered for syndication, it was too difficult and / or expensive to get the digital media rights to the music that was used in the show , so the majority of it was replaced with Muzak-style background tunes.

In some cases, that removes a big part of what made certain scenes so classic, including the one in which sad-sack news director Les Nessman tries on a new toupee to the strains of Foreigner’s Hot Blooded. Some scenes were removed all together

What a shame. A crying shame. Here is an explanation from WIRED a while back on the issue of music in TV shows, although it does not help me come to grips with this matter.

As much as I would love to buy this DVD set, I likely won’t. I can’t fathom how the entertainment companies are so wrapped up in the DRM kafuffle that they would short change themselves and fans in this way.

For me, it comes down to the ideal that if you are going to bother to do something at all, do it right.

Walls Andy, I need walls. And, one of my all time favorite news lines ".. But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity."

Now I love her!

This parody is not as funny inasmuch as it makes a simple but powerful statement. Brilliant.

I wonder if Andy Nulman would consider this to be as much of a surprise that I found it to be. POW.

Addendum: For all of you who may not have a clue what is going on with this video or it's context, it is a parody of The Blackeyed Peas tune "My Humps". Written by Will.i.am and sung by Fergie at her finest.

Michael O'Conner Clarke had a great post (now two) on podcasting and is so right. Well, at least right for the most part.

I read his post and cringed at hearing the truth. We live in a social media echo-chamber, no question. Michael, thanks for coming right out and saying what you did. I am as guilty as the next podcaster in terms of what you wrote but have always tried to remain cognizant of the pitfalls which you outlined. However, I think that things could and should be looked at in a slightly different light. Some points if I may:

First, let’s not forget that it is amateur hour in this self-produced medium. I can’t help but look at efforts in other mediums such as TV, movies or radio and much of what turns up there is pure rubbish too. All of what you said is applicable except that, in those cases, teams of professionals with loads and loads of cash work hard to deliver that garbage season after season. At least we podcasters do it on our own and no expense to any shareholders!

Second, in my case (as well as others I know of) the approach was simply to experiment. Not all experiments work - remember New Coke? The Edsel? But many have worked and I hope that these experiments continue to get better and evolve.

Third, more folks are getting into the conversation. Little by little the echo effect is being reduced. However, we are still a small group standing around the Kool-Aid bowl waiting for the cool kids to arrive.

Fourth, it is all about building community. If my community of listeners are quality listeners then quantity of audience is not important. Walking the talk of stimulating and sustaining a “conversation” makes it all worthwhile - no matter if it takes some stumbling and bumbling to get there. I think the marketing/PR/advertising and tech podcasters are doing a great service in terms of giving back a bit to the community while harnessing the ability to make new friends along the way.

Fifth, this is an on-demand medium and obviously there is a growing demand - even a demand for some of the niche shite that is available. What is that they say about beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Some podcasts are an acquired taste, for others there is always the fast forward, unsubscribe or delete option.

Sixth, the garbage will continue to grow for a while to come before reaching an eventual breaking point. The bad and the ugly will fade away over time leaving only the good and great. But, no one should begin holding their breath for that to happen anytime soon.

Finally, the lot of us in marketing/advertising/communications are silly bu