How to Shoot an Anvil 200 Feet in the Air
Why do I have this feeling like someone has tried this and died? In either case, check it out!
Find links, photos, and my contrary views on travel, productivity and online trends.
October 23, 2009
September 29, 2009
Steve Ballmer, YouTube Loves You
Just to continue the shit-parade on Microsoft, I thought I’d share a few great YouTube videos of Steve Ballmer, CEO of Crazyville Microsoft. For those of you who haven’t been lucky enough to witness him in action, get your popcorn ready:
Ah-Yeah, Developers remix! Never has it been so cool to program. Let’s party like it’s 01101010101110.
Now, let’s Domo-Kun that bad boy:
September 24, 2009
Does your cat look like Hitler?
The internet is becoming really, really niche. Want proof? Check out CatsThatLookLikeHitler.com
From their site:
“Does your cat look like Adolf Hitler? Do you wake up in a cold sweat every night wondering if he’s going to up and invade Poland? Does he keep putting his right paw in the air while making a noise that sounds suspiciously like “Sieg Miaow”? If so, this is the website for you.”
I’m just waiting for a meme video of Brad Pitt from Inglorious Basterds.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m on the look out for Nazi cats. I WANT MY SCALPS!
September 22, 2009
Why does Microsoft suck at everything?
I shouldn’t be all that surprised to see Microsoft suck at something but please tell me how a director missed that rather obvious stove clock in the background? The actors managed to produce a 6 minute video in an hour-and-a-half. Bravo. They also managed to bend space/time to get the right takes.
Its as human-like as a robot wearing a potato sack… PARTY!
P.S. Vista sucks.
August 18, 2009
August 12, 2009
Pringles Asks Agency to Prove Ads Work
It had to be a tough pill for ad agency Grey Global to swallow. No more billable hours. Instead the proof better be in the pudding… potato pudding.
According to Bloomberg.com: “Instead of being paid for hours clocked devising promotions for rice potato chips or crispy cracker sticks, Grey earns an undisclosed fee upfront and add-on payments for sales and market share gains.”
It also sounds like P&G and Coca Cola want to do something similar moving forward. Is this good or bad for the Ad industry? My answer: Yes.
The good news? It forces advertising agencies to develop campaigns that generate return on investment. The bad news? Cat fights. Lots of them.
Before, marketers held the final say on what went out the door. It was their brand and money on the line so they held all the cards. But what happens now? If agencies are just as financially responsible for the success of a campaign then who should make the final decision? Being part of a few pitches in my career it’s safe to say that the #1 idea of the agency almost never aligns with the #1 idea preferred by the marketing people. Murphy’s Law perhaps?
In the end it’s a good thing if it forces marketing and agency people to be more accountable while working together to come with a communications that illicit a response.
Recent Work From Around the World
Advertising Agency: Grey Hong Kong / Grey Singapore
Advertising Agency: PnT, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Advertising Agency: Grey Hong Kong
August 10, 2009
GM to Sell Cars and Trucks on eBay
It’s been a tough 12 months for GM car salesmen and with the latest agreement between eBay, it’s only going to get worse. You can read more about the promotion over at the New York Times but essentially instead of an auction system, which is what eBay is known for, you can place a bid in which the dealerships can choose whether to accept or not.
Going the Online Route
Years ago I would have been more hesitant with selling new cars online but with the success of Zappos, Amazon etc. it’s pretty hard to come up with an argument against the premise. I’m a bit concerned with the quality of company doing this though. Is the New GM capable of delivering bang on customer service which is needed to succeed in the online arena? After all there are many questions sales people answer before a transaction. Who will answer these questions now? What if someone doesn’t like what the colour after purchase, can they send it back? What if there was damage in shipping, how easy is it to a) quickly replace; and b) deal with an individual dealership?
Like P. Diddy says “It’s All About the Benjamins”
I suppose my other issue is that a promotion such as this focuses on one thing - price point consumers. Anyone willing to buy a car online, without test driving it, is likely only placing a bid to get the lowest price possible. Can GM compete with the Hyundai’s of the world on a price perspective? We’ll find out when the program gets under way August 11th.
They’ve already gone into bankruptcy once, so what do they have to lose when Canada/US taxpayers are paying the bills?
August 7, 2009
Do Social Networks Limit Innovation?
In a recent article by the New Scientist, some researchers have suggested social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter “reduce diversity and keeps radical ideas from taking hold”. The larger the interaction (group size) the more likely you will run into people who will disagree and potentially deter you from pursuing it further.
Viktor Mayer-Schönberger’s suggestion? Smaller social groups and less interference.
It’s an interesting theory and one I can relate to at some level. Looking back, most ideas I’ve shared are more positively received by smaller groups. Fewer questions, objections and more constructive feedback.
This is where I get confused with such a study. Work, school, and even your baseball team are all social networks.
When you look at Facebook which went from a small Harvard project to over 252 million users and Twitter which shared similar success you’d expect innovation to then fall off a cliff. We’re more connected now than in any time in history and yet every day I stumble across a new and innovative idea. How is this possible?
Do the people who generate these ideas avoid social networks to nurture such thoughts? No, probably not. They did what the rest of us do — share the ideas with a select group within their social network who are more likely to be receptive.
In life, few people will ever see the world the way you do, no matter how great a thought or idea. So it stands to reason that the more connections you have available to you, the more likely you will be to share them with the right people.
August 5, 2009
“Bing Goes the Internet” Jingle Winner
As reported by TechCrunch today, it looks like Jonathan Mann took home the trophy for the “best” Bing jingle of what must have been a clear stack of winners.
I’m short of words for how bad this is. I’m assuming it’s a joke but based on the announcement it looks to be real.
Microsoft reminds me of that Great Aunt who thinks it’s “cool” to sing a rap song for your 15th Birthday in front of your friends.
They should have just went with with Steve Ballmer running around screaming for 60 seconds.
July 30, 2009
Outside The Box, by Joseph Pelling
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My name is Nate Haidle and I'm an Interactive Project Manager at Creative B'stro here in Vancouver. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
