MySpace becomes first primary of the presidental election

April 4, 2007

MySpace announced that it will hold a "presidential primary" on Jan. 1-2 next year, before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

The virtual election will be open to all members of MySpace in the United States.

In March, MySpace launched the Impact Channel, a site designed to connect politicians, non profits and civic organizations with users worldwide.

The channel currently houses pages for 12 major-party presidential candidates. In May, My Space will launch a series of monthly straw polls to gauge where candidates stand.

What do you think?  Will this get teenagers and twenty-somethings interested in the election?  Will their primary results impact the election?

How do you envision candidates reacting to this news?

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Is it Greek to you?

April 3, 2007

Often times, when you receive concepts from an agency, you’ll see a headline and visual.  And in the place of the body copy — you’ll see what we refer to as Greek or Lorem Ipsum.

Typically, it will look a little something like:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Lorem Ipsum is basically dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry that has been adopted by agencies as a basic placeholder. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

It has survived not only five centuries, but also evolved into all realms of electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged.  It’s based on the theory that readers will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English.

Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the source.

However, you can – thanks to the web, have you very own Lorem Ipsum generated.

Just a little fun fact for the day!

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:60 ticks marketing tip: Sad stats about employees

April 2, 2007

Grab it fast…it’s gone in about a minute.  A :60 ticks marketing tip is 150 words or less…so read it in a minute and implement it in the next!

65 percent of employees say they receive no job recognition.

And 88 percent of workers say they have ideas to improve their work, yet only 15 percent offer those ideas.

Source: WorkForce Week

That’s it….what can you change in your workplace to make sure you beat these stat?

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Blogtipping — April 2007

April 1, 2007

I am joining with my fellow bloggers in celebrating some new blogs that I discovered this past month. 

As is the blogtipping tradition, (created by Easton Ellsworth) I’ll offer a few reasons why I like the blog and one suggestion for improvement.

Today is opening day of baseball season, so it seems only fitting to tip my hat at some baseball bloggers.

This month’s nods go to….

Baseball Musings is David Pinto’s very knowledgeable and detailed look at Major League baseball.

Things I love:

• The depth of information.

• That you don’t stop at just giving us the facts, you also give us your insight.

• You delve into subjects that are not strictly baseball but touch the game.

Suggestion: 

• It would be nice if your main column with content was larger in proportion to the links and ads columns.

The Baseball Zealot is just that.  Tom brings us all things baseball. MLB and college to boot.

Things I love:

• The diversity of your posts.

• It’s not just a game to you.  I love that you love the game.

• Your natural, engaging style of writing.

Suggestion:

• Either it’s my eyes (and age) or your font is tiny.  Can you bump it up for us 40+ readers?

I’m not going to do a baseball themed blog tipping without sharing a Dodger focused blog. Andrew brings us  True Blue LA and writes about all things Dodgers.

Things I love:

• It’s about the Dodgers. Enough said.

• Great, conversational style.

• You interject a lot of personality into your posts.

Suggestion:

• Any thought to adding some visuals to your posts?

There you have it discerning readers…until next month’s blogtipping adventure!

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Is branding only an external activity?

April 1, 2007

The answer is no. 

In fact…as a business owner or leader, you should be branding your organization to your employees every day.  There is no audience more important to your brand’s success.

But all too often, its internal communication budgets that get cut. Or leadership consistently says one thing and then does another — losing credibility and trust.

If you want to learn how to lead an employee-centric company, you only need to go to one blog to learn the ropes.  Anna Farmery of The Engaging Brand focuses on how to inspire your employees to help you deliver the brand promise to your clients.  Her posts on leadership, retaining employees and her podcast series are packed with gems you can put to immediate use.

Last week, I had the incredible good fortune to speak to Anna on the phone.  We talked about how the relationship between the employer and the employee is experiencing a power shift, just like the one we’re seeing between customers and companies.  We also talked about recruiting, generational differences and a whole lot more.

Anna captured our conversation and I’m very proud to be the voice of Show #73 of the Engaging Brand podcast series — Secrets of a Great Employer.

Go over and take a listen.  And while you are there — bask in the smarts of Anna Farmery.

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What Would Mickey Mouse Twitter?

March 31, 2007

There’s a new meme in town and it’s hysterical.  It started with Kevin Dugan’s What Would Jesus Twitter that I shared with you yesterday.  Since then, people have added Sherlock Holmes, Abe Lincoln, and Lee Hopkins.

And it’s just begun.  So here’s my addition to the game.

What would Mickey Twitter?

10.  I don’t want to seem ungrateful but I think Walt’s a little obsessed with me.

9.    Sometimes, Minnie’s voice just grates on my nerves.

8.    @Mighty Mouse – so you really think I could learn how to fly?

7.    Driving Donald to his anger management class.

6.    Thank God Lily talked Walt out of naming me Mortimer.  Can you imagine the crap I would have taken?

5.    My fantasy? Sneaking into Small World and smashing those freakin’ singing bobbleheads.

4.    L: The happiest place on earth

3.    Just once I’d like to be seen as a “bad boy.”

2.    @Cinderella – how you doin’?

1.    If one more snot nosed little kid bangs his head into my crotch…

I’m not going to tag anyone specific, but come on…join in the fun!

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Who said talking back was bad?

March 31, 2007

Yesterday was a momentous day at Drew’s Marketing Minute.  The milestone I have been waiting to celebrate.

1,000 comments.

One thing I learned very quickly as I entered the world of blogging is that there are A LOT of numbers.

My blog will be 7 months old tomorrow.  This is my 246th post.  At this moment,  I have 590 blogs linking to me.  Technorati says I’m #4,137.  Mack’s Top 25 Marketing Blogs says I’m #7.  My blogroll is about to get  much bigger.

All of that matters.

But not as much as the comments.  The comments are the interaction.  The comments are the conversation.  The comments are why I blog.

David Reich of my 2 cents posted the magic 1,000th comment on the But what if the blogger is lying post. I’ve invited David (a la Paul’s invite to Tim Jackson on his 1,000th comment) to write a guest post.  I can’t wait to see what he has to say.  I couldn’t ask for a more articulate, insightful blogger to invite in.

Thanks to each and every one of you who have shared a thought, an idea, a question or a link.  You add the flavor and spice to this place.  I am grateful to each of you.  And I hope our conversations have just begun.

Aaron M. Potts, Adam Steen, Adriana, Al, Alex Bellinger, Alvin Borromeo, Amy, Andrew Clark, Andy Beard, Andy Brudtkuhl, Andy Drish, Ann Handley, ann michael, Anne Simons, Becky, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Becky-Joe, Bob Glaza, Bob LeDrew, Brett, Brett Rogers, Brian Clark, C. B. Whittemore, Cam Beck, Carolyn Manning, Char, Charles Brown, Chris Brown, Chris Cree, chris gribble, Chris Kieff, CK, Claire Celsi, Claire Walter, Connie, Copywriting Services, Cory Garrison, Craig Harper, Dan, David Armano, David Koopmans, David Reich, Dawud Miracle, Delaney Kirk, Derek Tutschulte, Designer Mike, DotMySpot, Doug Karr, Douglas Mitchell, Easton Ellsworth, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Saunders, Erin Blaskie, Fran, Gavin Heaton, Hannah, Irene, Jaap Steinvoorte, Jack Hayhow, Janet Green, Jeff Morris, Jennifer Espeland, Jessica Colleen, Jim Kukral, Joan Schramm, John, Kammie K., Katie Konrath, Kevin Hillstrom, Kim Klaver, Kirsten Harrell,, Leesa Barnes, Lewis Green, Lisa, Liz Strauss, Lord Matt, Mack Collier, Madena M Burman</a >, Marie, Mario Sundar, Mario Vellandi, Mark Goren, Mark True, Mary Schmidt, Matt Dickman, Matt Hamilton, Michael Libbie, Michael Wagner, Mike, , mitch matthews, Nancy, Nick Rice, Patrick, Patrick Schaber, Paul McEnany, Phil Gerbyshak, Ray Edwards, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rosa Say, Rush Nigut, Ryan Healy, Sam Beckwith, Sandy Renshaw, Sean Carter, Sham, Sharon Sarmiento, Sherry Borzo, Simon, Stephanie Weaver, Stephen Denny, Steve Farber, Steve Harper, Steve Miller, Steve Sisler, Steve Woodruff, Susan F. Heywood, Susan Weiner, Sustainable is Good, Terry Starbucker, Tom Guarriello, Tom Vander Well, Tony D. Clark, V. Michael Santoro, Valeria Maltoni

(If I missed you, I’m very sorry.  And, I could only list those who left a URL with their comment)

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A bagful of ideas: 03/31/07

March 31, 2007

From time to time, I’m going to share a mixed bag of ideas, marketing tips, brilliant writing and sometimes — something that just made me laugh out loud.  Here’s today’s offering:

This one had me laughing out loud: Kevin Dugan takes on an imaginary journey back in time.  But we take Twitter with us!

What would Jesus Twitter

This one had me wishing I had come up with that business idea: Dan Heath talks about the power of branding.  Even in personal ads!

Writing a more concrete online dating profile

This one had me nodding my head and thinking our clients need to read this: Matt Dickman shares some very valuable insights about user data collection via your web/blog.

Use it or lose me

Hope you found something in the bag to use!

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But what if the blogger is lying?

March 29, 2007

One of the ways that citizen marketers are really making themselves known is by sharing their consumer trials and triumphs with their blog readers.   

We experience, through them, how the company does or doesn’t respond.  We cheer on the wronged.  We boo the corporate villains…or herald them if they’re listening and respond to fix the problem.

Here are some of the recent ones I know.  And because I know these people…I know the stories they tell are true.

• Kohl’s
• Best Buy (this story has a happy ending!)
• Papa Johns
• Overstock.com (another happy ending!)

But I don’t know this blogger.  And I have no idea if her story is true.  But dang, it’s compelling. 

Etta’s mom tells the heart-tugging story of how her daughter Etta was invited to an American Girl store (by a friend) so they could get their dolls’ hair styled.  Etta brought a doll from Target and when it was her turn in line, was told by the stylist that her doll "wasn’t real" and she wouldn’t do her hair.  To make Etta’s experience even worse, some of the moms in line mocked her for bringing a non-AG doll to the store.

As I write this, there are 394 comments to her post.  Most of the commenters were brought to tears (you have to read the post…it really is incredibly well-written and heart breaking.)  Many of them were vowing to stop shopping there and several say that they’ve called the store and demanded action.

One commenter even posted a response she got to an e-mail she sent to AG corporate.  Google "American girl" Etta and you will be amazed at the number of articles, posts etc. that 12 days after the original post, are now telling the story. 

Here’s my question. What if she made up the story?  I am not suggesting for one minute that she did.  But, I am asking "what if?"

In 12 days.  Less than 1,200 words.  What damage has been done? 

How can/will AG recover?  For how long will they be called on to respond and apologize?  Will they have to train their staff on how to handle it when a customer brings it up?

We are behind the driver’s wheel of a very powerful medium.  Not everyone is going to be ethical.  Not everyone is going to care about anyone but themselves. Not everyone will be transparent about their motives.

How will we know?

Thanks to Brett Trout for sharing this story with me, thinking it would appeal to my fascination with branding.  As you can see, it did much more than that.

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Try this experiment on your employees

March 29, 2007

No lab coat required.

If you asked your peers/employees to tell you in a sentence what your company’s compelling reason for being was – what would they say?

If you are like most companies, they would burst out laughing.

And then odds are, every one of them would give you a different answer.

How can we expect our employees to deliver consistent quality and service/products that are aligned with the company’s core mission if they don’t know (and really know) not only WHAT it is, but WHAT it means, WHY it matters and HOW you make it real?

This isn’t just a marketing slogan of the month or rattling off a buzz word or two – this is taking the time to define the heart and soul of why you are in business – from your consumer’s point of view.

Try it. Come back and tell us about the experiment. 

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