Business
WTF Are you bitching about?
I have been quite busy off-line and on-line lately. You know, taxes, bills, exercising, and all other real life shit that doesn’t occur on Twitter.
Emerging back into Twitterville, I felt I missed a whole hoopla of something or other around Amazon. Dazed and confused, I put on my detective cap to find the missing clues. As I sniffed around a couple blogs and Tweets, I stopped. I realized the clues was just leading me to a bunch of really ridiculous and meaningless arguments.
I must caveat, while I was indeed a busy little beaver offline, I did not toss my digital fetish completely to the side. I was indulging into information of much meatier substance. I found a new book on aid in Africa to buy, read “Me 2.0″ online (oops! Dan, you did know your entire book is visible online, right?), engulfed entire Economist at the gym, researched a disease that affects 1.5 million, and read an article on the recent Times headline of religion and America. I didn’t close my ears to the world. Only redirected my hearing to subjects of greater essence than a brand fubar.
I still don’t really understand what Amazon did or did not do. And you know what, I don’t care. Whatever Amazon did to piss off a couple of consumers is miniscule compared to events that will effect us all:
- Millions of dead in South Sudan.
- The increase in numbers of troops to Afghanistan
- Italian earthquake
- north Korea and China talks, failed launch of a Taepo-Dong II missile
- Enormous growth of individuals seeking jobs with nonprofit due to waffling high unemployment
- Danish PM appointed to lead NATO forces
- Health reports on oral contraceptive and silicone breast implants are associated with Lupus
Do you all see how much occurs every day without Twitter?
Dan Dennett on TED speech on memes, touched on how we spread ideas. Are we using our information channels to spread informative, positive, or useful ideas? Or are we using the most incredible communication tools (FREE to us) to spew hatred and anger? What positive impact has your information made on another life today? Did you make them aware of a disease that affects 1.5 million people, genocide that has occurred for decades, your elected officials negotiating with communist countries?
At the end of the day, I would rather my consumer dollars go for a brand to give their shipping clerk a bonus than spend the time entertaining a bunch of isolationist Tweeters.
That bonus, spent on the economy, would affect hundreds more of American lives versus calming one negative voice.
Does it matter whose the baker of your blog?
This was a really delicious mini cake from I bought from Krogers. Before I chopped the head off, it was delicately decorated in the shape of a mop dog. For obvious reasons, the cake called to me from the glass enclosed bakery case.
As I ate the desert, I recalled an article in this month’s Inc. magazine. It’s about a small town bakery whose entire business model was built on wholesaling to stores and outlets. The bakery became successful because it didn’t label the Danish but allowed the supermarket to brand it as their own freshbaked. Consumers bought the baked goods completely unaware of the truth.
Eventually the business owner contemplated whether or not to sell the baked goods under his brand. Inc.’s article goes through the owners deliberation process of whether or not to go from “ghost” baker to “named” baker.
I wondered for a moment whether or not this cake was really baked by Krogers?
I will probably forever wonder whether or not my supermarket baked goods are authentic or not. The same situation is occurring with social media. As companies are trying to get a grasp on where, how, and to what extent social media fits into their marketing or branding, there is a push of authenticity. On one side, people want to know what is written is authentic. On the other hand, some people feel as long as the information is rich enough, then why does it matter who created it.
In the end, does it matter whether or not Krogers’s baked my cake? It’s purpose (to be yummy) was delivered to the customer regardless.
Same goes with blogging and social media. Does it really matter if a great link was Tweeted out by Guy or one of his staff? Does it really matter if a blog post which fostered discussion was created by the CEO or copyblogger? If success is measured by sharing and delivering rich, thought provoking information, does it really matter who the baker is?
Redos
I am an in the closet artist. Dubbed officially as an Art School drop out, I have yet to “show” or apply my talents for monetary gains. Yet, it stays close to my heart as the one thing I can fully release into. I would venture to say most of us have a secret hobby which allows us to fully release our souls into.
One of things that attracts me to painting is nothing is permanent. Your canvas can start as something entirely different then what you started it as. The picture, the strokes, grow with you and metamorphosis with you. There’s not much in life which will forgive your naivety during the process, and still allow your talents to flower.
Words on webpages are permanent. Speeches reiterated and relived. Emails referred back to. Nothing allows you the animosity of your mind like art.
Sometimes we need a place where we feel safe to fully make mistakes. To be ourselves. Naive and knowledgeable at the same time. Just to be accepted at the moment for what you can give. No long term commitments, no short term goals except to only share the moment.
These safe places are sacred to people. In life, our sacred moments may be disturbed. We may choose to open those special hours to others we feel safe with. Life may not agree, and those moments be deemed as truancy to our community. Chained and confined until we can return to our moments of safety.
Your return to solitude and acceptance depends on the ability to redo the painting. Maybe paint with a new color scheme, go back to familiar brushes, or start with a familiar scene. We control the marks on our canvas. Old brushes may be the reason why we create our strokes in life.
Cool music to get lost in:
Placebo “Ask for Answers“
Because you can’t change the world in 24 hrs
Sure it’s not on a coffee filter, but I had to make a list. 24 hours can easily be filled up with unnecessary junk unless you prioritize.
Making Movies!
Came across this really cool site off another blog. At Xtranormal, you can make your own movies…a bit hard to direct with correct emotion, but it’s still cool!
WTF JC Penney!
What did brands learn from the Motrin Mom fiasco? Obviously nothing! JC Penney’s attempt at using social media to tap consumers’ interest, specifically the female shopping, is yet another fumble by big brands.
Smartblogs post on brands social media campaign at SXSW, pointed out JC Penney’s “Doghouse” video went viral to the point of servers crashing. Some will argue bad PR is better then no PR, but I disagree.
What did JC Penney and Motrin do wrong with social media?
Advertising has and always will play off of stereotypes and social generalizations. It’s never really ok. JC Penney and Motrin social media campaigns took stereotyping to the extreme. It went from playful joking (which is never innocent) of men trying to find the best gift for their female counterpart to bashing male intelligence. More specifically, here’s what’s wrong with the video:
Stereotype 1: Folding laundry and household chores are forms of male punishment. I know many dual working families who split the household chores. I know many men who are better at folding laundry and cleaning then their female spouse. Does this belittle a man’s intelligence? If household chores are form of “punishment”, then what where woman in the 1940’s being punished for? I highly doubt single men or single dad’s view the laundry as punishment for not meeting a woman’s demands.
Stereotype 2: Woman make all the rules, men are only there to please. Thank you Saatchi and Saatchi for making it appear that all woman’s liberation did was form a band of demanding, spiteful, man hating woman. I am so proud of one of the top American advertising agency’s can portray woman in such an insightful and intelligent role as a bitch.
Stereotype 3: Men have no idea how to buy gifts or make a woman happy. The joke of a man never buying the right gift is overrated and not funny. In fact, men and woman a like have problems gift buying in general. If the woman in the video walked around all day whining about the size of her thighs and on a constant diet, a thigh master would seem perfectly acceptable gift. Why wouldn’t it? I don’t see men jumping over joy to get a wrench for Christmas, it just means more work for them to do.
What JC Penney Should Have Done
JC Penney most likely approached Saatchi and Saatchi to create a social media campaign which would reach out to female buyers. The problem is Saatchi and Saatchi didn’t look at the campaign from positive generalizations or stereotypes. There are a dozen softer ways to play on the stereotype of gender based gift buying. The video could have depicted a man commanding his entire family on a secret mission to discover what mom wants for Mother’s day. Using product placement of JC Penney towels, apparel, fitness equipment, or cookware. For Saatchi and Saatchi, it shows limited creativity and consumer insight of their marketing team.
JC Penney has always been viewed as the family department store. Where a family together can get everything they need or want. This campaign contributes nothing positive to the JC Penney brand. Instead, it has hindered the brand from being the all American family store.
Timing is everything
Timing is everything in life. The right time to buy a house, right time to make a career change, or right time to have children. Life doesn’t always have the best timing.
For years, I have known I wanted to be an entrepreneur. This past year started a legal corporation in hopes of building it to be the center of my world. Right now, this moment, I am at the cross road of either pushing forward to make it or pull back to be an employee.
In reality, 6 months ago I could have pushed forward and had revenue stream to live off. Something held me back. I questioned and deliberated in my mind, whether it was a subconscious fear of success (not failure) which tied me down. It’s not. It’s the timing.
If you have ever thought about venturing off on your own, you will find endless articles stating there is never a better time then the present. I disagree. There is a RIGHT time and a wrong time. Timing is completely dependent on the individual.
I look at entrepreneurs such as Shama Hyder, who at 23 is more successful than majority of American small businesses. I ask myself what is taking me so long to achieve the same success? It’ just not the right time. Anyone who says entrepreneurship is easy, is full of shit. Creating a successful business takes endless hours of dedication. Long, sleepless nights. It’s incredible hard work. Completely worth it in the end.
In life, there are moments we can never get back. Sometimes the driving force behind those moments who consume our time is only temporary. Instead of fighting nature, I think it is best to embrace the moments and live them to the fullest.
In order for me to live my life to the fullest right now, it is best for me to pull back. If you are a person who does not see work as a 9-5 job, then being an employee is not so bad. Especially if you find a position in an industry which is exciting, challenging, and you can learn from it.
It’s the journey, not the destination that matters. Right now, my journey is a bit slower then the flaming Gen Y’s. I guarantee it will be just as fulfilling in the end.
Copyblogging SUCKS!
Shannon Paul’s post on Ghostblogging found it’s way into my in box last week. As a person who has done an itty bitty “ghostblogging” work, I can both argue in favor and against her points.
One of Shannon’s strongest points, and one I agree wholeheartedly with, is the lack of authenticity with ghostblogging. Blogging is seen as the open door to someone’s mind. It’s personal branding yourself - whether you are a CEO, consultant, journalist, or student. Handing the blogging job off to someone else completely, looses that authenticity. There’s several things a ghostblogger cannot do for a client:
1) Be controversial: Some of the best ways to get your blog noticed, is to make bring a little controversial thought to the table. No matter how close your ghostblogger is to the organization, they will never have the authority nor the guts to make a profound statement. Blog posts will always stick to the general idea, staying to the safe side of the playground. Potentially loosing really great conversations.
2) Be the client: I don’t care how much you listen, read, or copy from a client’s “writing” style. Much like a fingerprint, each person has their own writing style. I will never write like Shannon Paul or Chris Brogan. Nor, will they ever write (or probably ever want to!!) like me. Blogging has personality to it, and so does your writing.
On the flip-side, reader expectations of blogs are getting out of hand. In order for a blog to even be visible, they have to appear on Google, Digg, Alltop, StumbleUpon, or any other of hundreds of social bookmarking sites. That requires CONTENT. Content takes TIME. Especially QUALITY. Chris Brogan can pop out three blog posts in a day but they are not high quality posts with well thought out arguments. Just conversation starters.
Social Media junkies scream for more corporate blogs. CEO’s, CMO’s, and COO’s do have to work you know? In general, it is unrealistic to expect CEO’s and leadership to take time out to blog. Did it make a sale? Did it increase workforce productivity? Sure, it’s cheap marketing. But then again, most CEO’s don’t control traditional PAID marketing. It’s delegated.
So if social media and blogging is part of the marketing component, then CEO’s should be able to hand it off like every other marketing tool. P&G has done a great job at social media, but they have front runner as their representative. David Knox is NOT the CEO of P&G.
It seems as though there is no win - win situation. Either corporations have an in house staff to control the social media content of the marketing mix, or they should just forget it. It’s unrealistic to expect top leadership who already manage a career and family to add blogging into their mix. Unless you love to blog like you love to run, ghostblogging is here to stay.
Why Copy / Ghostblogging SUCKS!
If your blogging for anything other then yourself, it sucks. Here’s why:
1) Better be a journalist or english major. Blogging doesn’t require a journalism degree, but your damned if you write less than par. Ironically, there a tons of blogs (Egos ones too!) who use horrible sentance structure and make no clear point. I don’t know how many times I have read a blog post by some egocentric big shot, and said “WTF did he just say?”.
Yet, if you are hired to blog, there is the expectation to write like a journalist.
2) Not all subjects are your forte: You may get stuck with finding and formulating opinions on subjects that are not within your expertise. Not being an english major, I can’t give you the definition of an adverb, but how many english majors can explain command line of sight and wavelength modulation. Until you really familiar with a subject, your post will lack substance.
3) Creativity killer: If you are constantly producing, producing, and more producing, creativity dies. Over abundance of blogging is like competing in multiple bodybuilding competitions, without adequate recovery time. Eventually your muscles (mind) becomes exhausted and worthless.
Everyone participating in social media needs to have a clear direction of their goals. If it is corporate marketing, then realize it’s going to take a team of people to be successful. Allocate adequate funds to support the mission.
If it’s personal branding, then decide if blogging 3 - 4x per week is something you want to dedicate to. Personal branding cannot be outsourced.
Because nothing profound comes out
“Brick walls are there for a reason – they let us prove how badly we want things and to keep out others who do not want it enough” - Randy Pausch
