The U2bes

As I'm sure you've no doubt heard, U2 did something or other a few days back in front of 90,000 fans that was broadcast live across the world on YouTube. Here's the performance...

Unfortunately I can't find any statistics on how many people tuned in to watch it. I can't be certain but I'm going to put it in the ball park of 50 million or more.

That's 50 million people who were not interrupted or advertised to, but rather sought out and watched this remarkable content. And I would hazard a guess that a fair portion of them hung around for the full two and a half hours. This is incredible.

I know we're not meant to use the word revolution (isn't that right Jules?) but does this completely change the game for entertainment? Would love to see what this did for charity donations and album sales. Did they pull off a Radiohead?

More importantly, could another band pull it off? It is a first mover advantage, or just the fact U2 is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Take it a step further, could a brand pull it off? Even on a much smaller scale where only say 10,000 people tuned in to watch, I'd love to see it tried. What do you think?

Encouragement Award

Another quick ramble, this time about viral marketing. Specifically, the usual definition I read which is about "encouraging consumers to spread content among their social networks".

Please tell me how one would "encourage consumers" to do so? Having a button that says "Send to a friend" is not encouragement (does anyone even click those things anyway?). I suppose disabling embedding might be an example of discouragement but I'm failing to see how marketers can actually encourage consumers to spread content. Incentives might be one way but can't think of a decent example that actually worked without the person looking like a complete sell out.

The only thing that encourages consumers to spread content is social currency, and that comes from remarkable content. I think I'll categorise this post with the rest of my rants about wanky marketing terms.

A Tweet Is Not A Comment

Just a quick ramble about something that has been annoying me lately.

A track back, especially a tweet, is not a comment. It's beyond frustrating when you click on a blogpost that has 20+ comments, yet really it only has two, the rest are retweets of the author on Twitter.

Don't do it, it's annoying and deceptive. If you're a blogger with that setting currently turned on, please turn it off. Thank you.

Helping Tweeple

Perhaps my single most favourite use of Twitter is asking for help, as selfish as that sounds. Last night, just hours before an assignment was due I needed a quote from an old edition of AdNews. I put out a call to my tweeps and Trevor Young saved my ass.

The fact that I can ask for a information, feedback or even an idea and receive multiple replies within minutes still amazes me. And this goes both ways, breaking down nearly all barriers between people. To me, this defines a community.

Imagine if a brand helped you, and likewise could ask for help and receive it.

Happy Second Birthday

Today my blog celebrates its second birthday. Over the past 365 days I have...

+ Posted 147 times.
+ Had 22,182 visits.
+ Had 41,556 pageviews.
+ Received 638 comments.
+ Peaked at 474 RSS Subscriptions.
+ And 27 email ones.
+ Been mentioned in Marketing Magazine.
+ And in B&T.
+ Wrote an article for Marketing Magazine and sporadically for the website.
+ Started writing sporadically for The Punch.
+ Completed an internship at Naked Communications.
+ Started my own consulting and speaking business. Proudly, my first client was Nova.
+ Appeared as a guest on Marketing Today and Gen Y Marketing Podcast.
+ Hit a rank of 21st for the Top Australian Marketing Bloggers.
+ Won a national advertising competition I can't say much about just yet.
+ Placed third in the national finals of L'Oreal Brandstorm.
+ Completed my second year at university.
+ Celebrated my twentieth birthday.

And just in case you're interested, here are my statistics from last year's birthday.

Thanks for reading. Even to the guys who think I do nothing but spout rubbish.

Push This Hard

"Semi permanent" Julian Cole's blog is about to turn three. And to celebrate, he's just posted about how his blog has changed over time to become more relevant to real world.

Unfortunately, not all of us have real world experience. In fact, this blog is based entirely off my own observations and insights. And with my own blog about to turn two on Saturday, I've been thinking a bit about my approach to blogging; that is to start fires and play the joker.

I came to a conclusion that is perhaps better explained with a diagram...

Let's suggest the little man represents the current frame of mind for a reader. In order to get them thinking differently, sometimes you have to push harder than your actual point. Sometimes, you have to exaggerate.

To get someone to B, you may have to argue C just to get them to think differently. The somewhat extremist view or point I usually argue is perhaps not always the ideal, but to get a reader to shift to B it's sometimes necessary.

It's not always to best way to go about it, and yes it probably tarnishes my credibility (what credibility?) for some. But it's the only way I know how and it works. Arguing logic doesn't always work with the stubborn.

Sometimes, I see just getting someone to A is a positive step forward.

So Jules, this might be another rubbish revolutionary wanky post about social media, but congrats on three years anyway. No mean feat.

Roflcopter Over Lol Juice

First we had iSnack 2.0. And thanks to a tip off from Marek, now we have LOL Juice.

Please, marketers with grey hair and sagging man boobs, stop trying to talk to younger generations using their language. Tools like this one should be used to translate one way, not communicate. There's only a few brands in product categories that could actually pull it off. Spreads and fruit juices are not one of them.

The marketers using 1337 speak today are probably the same ones who used words like "rad", "sick" and "hip" nine years ago. It didn't work then and I won't work now. Please stop trying. That is all.

Editor's Note: I use the word rad and I'm bringing it back.

Woah, A Blogger Mentioned You

I'm often told I push the whole new media thing too hard and too much. In a realistic world blah blah blah. So instead today I'd like to offer something you might expect to hear from someone older.

Just because you were mentioned on a blog doesn't mean anything. Even if it's in a positive light. I bring this up because I've read many articles and case studies lately that include lines like "the blogosphere went crazy" or "tonnes of bloggers picked up on the campaign".

Realistically, unless you get picked up by one of only a few key players, it doesn't mean shit. And just because your Google Alerts lead you to a blog with five readers doesn't mean you can claim it as a big PR win.

Even if someone like myself mentions you, it's probably not a big deal. With around 500 subscribers, maybe 200 will read this post. Include a few hundred randoms and you're still not having a massive impact.

I'm sure there's a whole 'nother post here as to whether or not someone like myself is worth responding to (hint: the answer is it depends). But what ever you do, don't go making bullshit claims about causing a stir in the blogosphere because some 20 year old mentioned you on his crappy blog. ;]

Bad Apples Aren't Fresh

Even good friend of the show Natalie Tran thinks it's a complete fucking joke.

So Apple are going to bring legal action against Woolworths over the similarities in their logos.

I know this blog has turned into a bit of a personal rant lately about the complete damn stupidity in the marketing world but I just couldn't pass on this. It's almost as bad as the case study I read today about an ad where a woman cuffed a guy on the back of the head for staring at another girl. It received complaints about violence against men.

I don't even know what the main point of this post is. Perhaps it's that both marketers and consumers can be complete tossers (and please don't let me turn into one of them). Or maybe it's that I expected better from a brand like Apple. Most likely it's just that I wanted to share the picture above.

I Know, Enough About Vegemite

I'm sure you're all over Vegemite talk by now. Buzz has spread itself across all media (see what I did there?) and you've probably never had more conversations about the black paste in your life.

But I suppose that's the thing. Whether you think it was a good idea or a bad one, or a deliberate one or accidental, never in my life have I spoken about Vegemite so often. And never in my life have I been as passionate about original Vegemite.

I have no plans try the new one, I won't even consider buying it and I'm totes over the whole "name our product" marketing campaign everyone seems jumping on the bandwagon with.

But fuck it made me realise how much I love original Vegemite.

It's Been A While

I almost feel as though I have neglected this bad boy a bit over the past few weeks.

The good news is it's because I've been working flat out with an agency on a pitch. My very first pitch, which I gave to the client this morning. An important part of any young marketer's career I'm told.

Anyway, unfortunately I can't give any deets for a while. However I can say my week involved circus training, free breakfasts, lunches and dinners, a hotel spa, a photo shoot and a rocking crew of people to work with. Probably a lifestyle I could get used to...