Experience Manifesto

Microsoft offers $44.6 billion for Yahoo - U.S. business- msnbc.com

Big news from the business world. It was announced less then an hour ago and could have some real impact for the online world. They must have been pretty tight lipped about this offer, I was at Microsoft yesterday for an in-house meeting for msnbc.com and there was no buzz about this at all. Let's see what happens next!

Microsoft Corp. is offering $44.6 billion in cash and stock for search engine operator Yahoo Inc. in a move to boost its competitive position in the online services market.

The unexpected announcement Friday comes as Microsoft, the world's biggest software company, seeks new ways to compete more effectively against the search and online advertising powerhouse Google Inc.

Link: Microsoft offers $44.6 billion for Yahoo - U.S. business- msnbc.com.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Since the list will change, I'm not sure this link will get you to where I am right now, but you know, this might be what's wrong with the good, old USA. Here's the top videos in order on January 4th, 2008, at 4 PM on youtube:

1. YouTube - EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: BRITNEY SPEARS ON A STRETCHER.
   
2. YouTube - Potential Paris Hilton Inseminators and Cancer.
   
3. YouTube - Patrick Michael's Original Song: Waiting For You.
   
4. YouTube - Britney Spears Driving around Los Angeles. Yes, it's f'in video of Britney driving around LA!
   
5. YouTube - Britney Spears Drama at Her House. Go Britney, she has three in the top five videos!
   
6. YouTube - Asian Boy - Yank Dat Cameltoe.
   
7. YouTube - Obama's Victory Speech.

Yes, that's right. The victory speech of Barack Obama, who may be the next President of the United States, is behind Yank Dat Cameltoe and miles behind Britney. Must really suck to think that you could be the next President but more people want to watch Asian Boy do Yank Dat Cameltoe then listen to you talk.

Link: YouTube - Broadcast Yourself..

MediaPost Publications - Was AT&T CEO's Slip Of The Lip Really A Flip Tip? - 12/03/2007

AT&T CEO RANDALL STEPHENSON MAY have recently opened his mouth and let it slip that Apple plans to release a 3G iPhone in 2008, but it fits into Apple's strategy to create marketing hype well before a product launch.

At a meeting of the Churchill Club in Santa Clara, Calif., Stephenson told reporters that a 3G version of the iPhone would become available next year. The San Antonio, Texas-based carrier exclusively supports the iPhone in the U.S. Analysts say consumers have been less than satisfied with the data speeds on AT&T's Edge network, and are anticipating significant improvements to performance as the carrier continues to roll out the 3G network across the United States.

Link: MediaPost Publications - Was AT&T CEO's Slip Of The Lip Really A Flip Tip? - 12/03/2007.

Really, It's Just Media. Pay up.

Paul McEnany over at Hew Haw marketing has a very interesting take on the writers strike. Hadn't thought about the fact that the writer's could just use the internet as a new distribution tool and forget about TV all together. That's a pretty interesting scenario. I mean, would people watch installments of 24 online instead of TV?

And this strike is going to have a major impact on the advertising industry. With TV budgets already facing challenges, what client is going to pay premiums to either be on reruns or some lame reality show that they networks put together just to fill the air? Not likely. And if TV just isn't pulling the numbers, advertising will leave for other areas. And unlike the last time there was a writers strike, there are a lot more places to go. So it will be a real challenge for TV advertising to maintain it's levels, especially when we're hearing that the strike could go 9 or 10 months.

So the question for people like us who do a lot of non-traditional work, is how much advantage do we take of the situation? Do we start pushing the message that this is speeding the decline -- not death -- of the 30 second spot? Do we encourage the writers to move their content to other distribution points? Do we talk to our clients about how TV will be less effective for the duration of the strike and that they should move their advertising dollars out of network buys?

We can imagine how the networks are feeling about the strike, but I also wonder how much this will start to impact the media buying companies as well. Already harder then it used to be, how will they ramp up to convince buyers that TV is still a place to go? And at what point will they just pack it in and tell their clients to put their money somewhere else?

I’d love to get feedback from other folks in the industry, so if you’re part of a network or a media buying company, what are you thinking these days?

Really, It's Just Media. Pay up.

Just one quick thought on the WGA strike. What if all those rich writers put some money together and distributed their own content on the web? What if the crew from the office got together and told NBC to go fuck themselves, and made their own version?

For the first time ever, that could actually happen. These networks are playing with fire. Not surprising when you throw common sense out the window and let lawyers run your company. It's apparent that being a big media conglomerate requires that you become stupid and out of touch. Same mistake, over and over, doesn't matter if it's the networks, record labels, the mpaa, riaa or Prince, it's a constant struggle for sameness when there's nothing left that's the same.

Luckily, Ze Frank came back to break up the blackout.

Link: Hee-Haw Marketing: Really, It's Just Media. Pay up..

It's A Fat World After All | Autopia from Wired.com

If there's a sadder commentary on the state of American society, we can't think of it -- we've grown so fat we sink the boats of It's A Small World.

According to Miceage, the boats routinely bottom out under the weight of super-sized riders, bringing the popular ride to a grinding -- literally -- halt. That's increased the wear and tear on the fiberglass boats, which have been in use since the ride opened during the 1964 World's Fair, when Americans, on average, weighed 25 pounds less than we do today.

Link: It's A Fat World After All | Autopia from Wired.com.

Link: MiceAge.com - A different look at Disney....

Radiohead tells fans to pay what they want for album - Yahoo! News

Radiohead, one of the world's most influential rock bands, plans to sell its new album from its Web site as a digital download and let fans choose what they want to pay.

With music sales in decline globally for seven successive years, the industry is engaged in a debate over how best to reverse the trend.

Radiohead said its seventh studio album "In Rainbows" would be available from Radiohead.com from October 10 in MP3 format, meaning it can be played on all digital devices. In the latest twist in the move to digital music, fans can choose how much to pay, or can pay nothing if they prefer.

Link: Radiohead tells fans to pay what they want for album - Yahoo! News.

MediaPost Publications - Statement Issued To Press By Julie Roehm - 03/30/2007

I know that you're all dying to know the latest about the Julie Roehm/Wal-Mart fiasco! Here's part if a statement released by Julie and you can click on the link below to read the full article.

WHEN I LOOK BACK OVER the whirlwind of the last 15 months of my life, here's what I see: I left a successful career in Detroit, uprooted my family to move to Arkansas, and took on a demanding job at Wal-Mart as part of its shift in marketing strategy. I threw myself into the job, traveling constantly and working tirelessly to master several components at the same time. I saved the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees and costs right off the bat, just using my experience in selecting and negotiating advertising spots. I engineered a thorough and meticulous campaign to hire an advertising agency, and guided a company that had never been through the process before in selecting what everyone, from outside research parties to internal participants, agreed was the best candidate.

But somewhere along the way, senior executives at Wal-Mart seemed to feel that maybe change wasn't such a good idea. Perhaps some did not like following or taking the advice of a woman. I received no guidance, direction, or communication about any unhappiness with my work. Yet I unceremoniously was removed from my job without explanation, and then informed that Wal-Mart would not even honor the terms of a separation agreement.

Now Wal-Mart has concocted a smear campaign against me. Under cover of a counterclaim, Wal-Mart is insinuating things about my personal life and pretending I violated some code of ethics with advertisers, all to distract from the reality that it didn't want my form of progressive marketing. In addition to refusing to honor my contract, Wal-Mart has used anonymous witnesses and employed selective use of e-mail, taken way out of context. When you patch together pieces of messages sent at different times, you can create pretty much any story you want. As in other cases, Wal-Mart has attacked the victim.

Link: MediaPost Publications - Statement Issued To Press By Julie Roehm - 03/30/2007.

Advertising Age - Paul McCartney Drops Capitol for -- Starbucks?

I never got around to writing about the infamous Howard Schultz memo, but this is kind of an interesting announcement after that note. Since part of that message was that they got off target, I'm not sure how this helps them get back on track. But, it's still a pretty big announcement for Starbuck's and I'm sure that the first new album from Paul will be a pretty big hit. This story is just beginning.

Paul McCartney hasn't just signed on to create an album for Starbucks -- it appears he left Capitol Records after 43 years to do so. The news that the former Beatle will be the premiere artist for Starbucks' Hear Music Label has been one of the world's worst-kept secrets, confirmed officially today by Howard Schultz at the company's annual meeting, where the Starbucks chairman also found himself rallying shareholders in the wake of his infamous leaked memo.

Link: Advertising Age - Paul McCartney Drops Capitol for -- Starbucks?.

New York's Premier Alternative Newspaper. Arts, Music, Food, Movies and Opinion

I guess the pressures is on me to do a good job on Shutdown Day! I do get sucked very easily into staying on my computer for much longer periods then I should. You know how it goes, going to check one e-mail and then the next thing I know, it's hours later and I'm reading blogs and surfing the net. So I will give it a try and see if I can do it. I'll try not to cheat too much by using my phone instead! Anyone else planning on giving it a try?

David Polinchock, “Chief Experience Officer” (CXO) of the very cyberish-sounding Brand Experience Lab based in Manhattan, says he’ll try to take part in Shutdown Day. “But I’m not sure I’ll be successful,” he admits. And he may cheat, because he can use his phone to check email and surf the Web.

“Like many of my peers, I do spend too much time on the computer and can easily get sucked in after ‘only checking one email,’” Polinchock says via email. “It’s an interesting challenge for people who are so used to being ‘on’ all the time.”

“I don’t always realize how much time I spend on the computer,” Polinchock confesses.

Link: New York's Premier Alternative Newspaper. Arts, Music, Food, Movies and Opinion.

Pet Food Is Recalled After Link to Animal Deaths - New York Times

Although I do have two dogs, Dublin & Kinsale, I wouldn't usually cover a story like this except for one interesting angle. The sudden knowledge that every dog food is made at the same place! I mean, just look at how many brands had to be recalled because of this problem. It really drives home the point that there's usually very little difference between brands these days. Of course, it's funny to deal with different brands of dog food anyway, since we are talking about dogs who have rarely complained about the food we've given them. But, according to the LA Times:

About 60 million cans and foil pouches of wet dog and cat food made by Canada-based Menu Foods Income Fund--affecting 88 brands, including big names like Iams and Eukanuba--are being recalled.

That's one company making 88 brands! I wonder if that's starting to hit people who have invested so much in one brand of another. I mean, if they're all made in the same place, could they really be that much difference between the brands? And when you see that the expensive national brands are made side by side with the generic brands, does it have any impact on the value of national brands?

I'm not sure we'll know the asnwer for a while, if ever. But it may have an impact on how I buy dog food in the future.

More than 60 million cans and pouches of dog and cat food sold under dozens of brand names were recalled on Saturday after being linked to the deaths of 10 animals.

The food was manufactured by Menu Foods, of Streetsville, Ontario, which makes wet food sold as store brands for companies like Wal-Mart, Kroger and Safeway.The company also makes food on behalf of many brand-name pet food makers. Menu Foods said it had recalled some food made for the Iams unit of Procter & Gamble. Two other pet food companies — Nestlé Purina PetCare and Hills Pet Nutrition, the unit of Colgate-Palmolive that makes the Science Diet brand — recalled some of their products that were made by Menu Foods.

Link: Pet Food Is Recalled After Link to Animal Deaths - New York Times.