These Jib Awards are spastic.
First reason: The nominations
Every man and his dog could enter which is fine- but now there are lists of 20 blogs in one category. That's not cool. If I want to honestly vote for a blog I think is worth it, I have to spend tonnes of time trawling through shit to find the good ones. Which I actually doubt are in there.
Organisers made a fatal flaw in not filtering out the crap ones.
Second reason: It's purely a popularity contest
In addition a friend emailed me saying "ooh ooh ooh. Vote for me!" so now the whole thing is a popularity contest anyway- who has the most readers. You as may well just send in a screen shot from your site metre.
I thought they had a problem last year of people voting multiple times for the same entry. Looks like they didn't think beyond that issue in correcting the major faults of the award system. All they did was verify the "human" factor. I'm sure there is some bot that exists that generates the answers they are after.
And who is this committee anyway? What, they have an idea to do awards and that's it? Shouldn't they get some validation?
I see they want people to connect- but have a blog index with descriptors and synopses of each blog. That's a good list. Maybe categorise so people can find what they are after.
Each award should really only have about 5 nominations. Now it's just going to be a Facebook mode of communiqué, to get people to vote for you. Rubbish. Rubbish effort.
And before you even think it, it's been thunk... I'm not pissed I'm not nominated, I just wish people thought things through before going live.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Ye goode olde times
Last night I watched Caddyshack.
I probably haven't seen that movie since I was 7. I can't believe my parents even let me watch it. There is a lot of boob. A lot of sex going on. My parents must have been hip.
In any case, that movie has not lost its charm. There was probably a lot that went straight over my head back then, but overall I think I got most of it. Really what else is there to get besides tits, ass and fart jokes?
I don't know anyone who did anything else after that movie. Although Danny was nominated for an Oscar a year before he did Caddyshack. Who goes from Oscar to Caddyshack? And he looks bloody scary these days. He is some cult member.
Then the chick who was the classic hot 'babe', is legally blind without glasses or contacts...
And I like Rodney Dangerfield. He is such a putz. I think that's why I like him. He also has the same birthday as me. Good to see he is a dead with a myspace.
There is even a documentary on the making done in 1999. I might try find me a copy. All the people who were in it are in the film.
It just goes to show that those old gems can live up to their expectations. I could even watch it again.
I probably haven't seen that movie since I was 7. I can't believe my parents even let me watch it. There is a lot of boob. A lot of sex going on. My parents must have been hip.
In any case, that movie has not lost its charm. There was probably a lot that went straight over my head back then, but overall I think I got most of it. Really what else is there to get besides tits, ass and fart jokes?
I don't know anyone who did anything else after that movie. Although Danny was nominated for an Oscar a year before he did Caddyshack. Who goes from Oscar to Caddyshack? And he looks bloody scary these days. He is some cult member.
Then the chick who was the classic hot 'babe', is legally blind without glasses or contacts...
And I like Rodney Dangerfield. He is such a putz. I think that's why I like him. He also has the same birthday as me. Good to see he is a dead with a myspace.
There is even a documentary on the making done in 1999. I might try find me a copy. All the people who were in it are in the film.
It just goes to show that those old gems can live up to their expectations. I could even watch it again.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Advertisers are the fleas on a social networking dog's back
Well, this has got to be the dumbest title I've ever come up with for a blog post.
However, even if that is the case, I still have some unresolved issues with these social networks. Maybe I should get out more, maybe I should find a new passion. But, sometimes it's a good service, at other times it's just too in your face.
Example of good:- you can reconnect with someone you've lost contact with in a way that is really unobtrusive. It's good because if the person doesn't really like you that much and there is a reason they lost contact with you, they can just ignore you once you've been accepted. The rejectee just thinks the rejector is busy or doesn't really use the site that much and all parties are in the clear and guilt free.
Note that the key word above was unobtrusive. This is important, because advertisers who have hopped on this ride have no idea what the word means. Nor do they know what meaningful and valued is either. This is an example of bad.
When mySpace first started and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou got on board that was cool. It was original, it was clever and it was entertaining. It also gave information about the movie that viewers could utilise in a practical way. This is also important.
Second Life has also succumbed to pressure. I don't know who else is on there. But, it's now old hat, it's stale and everyone has seen it all before.
Now the mySpace profile is old hat and costs a shit load. If you are going to get up there and do it, don't do one of these. I don't know what you want to achieve. I don't know what you want me to do with it. I'm not a compulsive competition enterer. If I want something I'll just buy it, and frankly so will anyone tapped into the disposable income demographic that is, well, basically your target.
This is an example of something good. I think one of my friends on Ning made this. It goes above and beyond the current use of mySpace. Typical think outside the square type stuff. Plus it has cool stuff you can do. Being in the travel category it's a natural fit to the nature of the industry- you can book through it. Clever stuff. Ingenuitive.
Someone asked me today about what I thought of a brand going on mySpace. Is it worth the mula? Quite frankly, no. Unless you tap into an existing base. That Wrangler profile only has around 500 friends. Not a very good figure for a campaign that's been running for a good few weeks.
Then once you find an existing base and tap into it- get them to promote your product in some way through their profile. It's the next stage in the process, not as creative as the gnome, but at least it uses the space in a smart way with a pre existing user base.
I just don't understand why people want to connect with a brand's myspace. It just doesn't compute on my end.
People have less and less time on a daily basis. If they connect it will be with their mates for the 5 or 10 minute or hour interval they have online. I don't why they would connect with a brand. Maybe the real brand, in real life, but certainly not something virtual (I see where Second Life comes in there, having a drink of Cola or whatever, but it's getting tired, real tired).
It's just getting on the band wagon. It's being in the space your competitor is just to be seen. You lose value, you waste cash and you become unoriginal. I say bin it all. Think what's best for you and your consumer. Screw the bandwagon.
However, even if that is the case, I still have some unresolved issues with these social networks. Maybe I should get out more, maybe I should find a new passion. But, sometimes it's a good service, at other times it's just too in your face.
Example of good:- you can reconnect with someone you've lost contact with in a way that is really unobtrusive. It's good because if the person doesn't really like you that much and there is a reason they lost contact with you, they can just ignore you once you've been accepted. The rejectee just thinks the rejector is busy or doesn't really use the site that much and all parties are in the clear and guilt free.
Note that the key word above was unobtrusive. This is important, because advertisers who have hopped on this ride have no idea what the word means. Nor do they know what meaningful and valued is either. This is an example of bad.
When mySpace first started and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou got on board that was cool. It was original, it was clever and it was entertaining. It also gave information about the movie that viewers could utilise in a practical way. This is also important.
Second Life has also succumbed to pressure. I don't know who else is on there. But, it's now old hat, it's stale and everyone has seen it all before.
Now the mySpace profile is old hat and costs a shit load. If you are going to get up there and do it, don't do one of these. I don't know what you want to achieve. I don't know what you want me to do with it. I'm not a compulsive competition enterer. If I want something I'll just buy it, and frankly so will anyone tapped into the disposable income demographic that is, well, basically your target.
This is an example of something good. I think one of my friends on Ning made this. It goes above and beyond the current use of mySpace. Typical think outside the square type stuff. Plus it has cool stuff you can do. Being in the travel category it's a natural fit to the nature of the industry- you can book through it. Clever stuff. Ingenuitive.
Someone asked me today about what I thought of a brand going on mySpace. Is it worth the mula? Quite frankly, no. Unless you tap into an existing base. That Wrangler profile only has around 500 friends. Not a very good figure for a campaign that's been running for a good few weeks.
Then once you find an existing base and tap into it- get them to promote your product in some way through their profile. It's the next stage in the process, not as creative as the gnome, but at least it uses the space in a smart way with a pre existing user base.
I just don't understand why people want to connect with a brand's myspace. It just doesn't compute on my end.
People have less and less time on a daily basis. If they connect it will be with their mates for the 5 or 10 minute or hour interval they have online. I don't why they would connect with a brand. Maybe the real brand, in real life, but certainly not something virtual (I see where Second Life comes in there, having a drink of Cola or whatever, but it's getting tired, real tired).
It's just getting on the band wagon. It's being in the space your competitor is just to be seen. You lose value, you waste cash and you become unoriginal. I say bin it all. Think what's best for you and your consumer. Screw the bandwagon.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
The top 8 friends thing
The other week, I was invited to a soiree. This wasn't the usual soiree, it was an event where only the top, close friends were invited.
It kind of made me feel that this person had gone to their mySpace and invited their Top 8 friends only. I felt rather exclusive, I felt kind of cool.
I just heard of another case where someone has invited his top 15...close to 16. Same thing. It is clearly an epidemic.
It got me thinking: MySpace has one foot in the grave. We know it's true. I've thought it for a while. A long while. Even the kids at Lifelounge have proved it with their latest Urban Market Report.
So now that this is true. Maybe this is the jumpstart that the mySpace needs.
What happens is they start a competition- mySpace will hold a party for you and your top 8, whoever they may be. If you win, mySpace will get all your top 8s and ensure they get to your party. You could have Steve Zissou in your 8 or the Pussy cat dolls. mySpace won't care and you won't care as long as your top 8 are there.
Even if they do it, I think I'm going to start having top 8 parties. I have an issue in that I only have 6 friends on mySpace, because I don't really care for it, but I'm sure I can adapt.
It kind of made me feel that this person had gone to their mySpace and invited their Top 8 friends only. I felt rather exclusive, I felt kind of cool.
I just heard of another case where someone has invited his top 15...close to 16. Same thing. It is clearly an epidemic.
It got me thinking: MySpace has one foot in the grave. We know it's true. I've thought it for a while. A long while. Even the kids at Lifelounge have proved it with their latest Urban Market Report.
So now that this is true. Maybe this is the jumpstart that the mySpace needs.
What happens is they start a competition- mySpace will hold a party for you and your top 8, whoever they may be. If you win, mySpace will get all your top 8s and ensure they get to your party. You could have Steve Zissou in your 8 or the Pussy cat dolls. mySpace won't care and you won't care as long as your top 8 are there.
Even if they do it, I think I'm going to start having top 8 parties. I have an issue in that I only have 6 friends on mySpace, because I don't really care for it, but I'm sure I can adapt.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
What has gone around, again comes around
Who would have thought a year can go by so quickly??
Last year I was in dot co dot il for pesach. It was rad. That was when David stole my title.
I commented that every Tom, Dick and Harry had this insatiable need to mention blogs at 5 minute intervals. This year, it was Facebook.
Now, the only reason I got on that thing was to see what it's all about. I'm already tired. It's just some other task I have to do every day and I can't be bothered. The worst part is I have to reject and ignore those people who request to be my friend on facebook. These are people I haven't spoken to in a while or even remotely know. If I haven't spoken to you in a while, the only people who slip through in that category are those who live overseas, and were born there. If you just moved there, from Sydney AND I haven't spoken to you in a while you don't make the cut.
The whole point is, it lets your friends know what you're up to, where you're at. If you have these bunch of half-nelsons on your facebook, what's the point in letting them know what you're up to? That's why I'm not friends with you, I don't want you to know, and I never have.
Yes- I take my facebook seriously. It isn't a contest, it's a social server.
Then there is the other problem of "limited profile". If I decide to be nice and let you in, but only give you limited access, people can tell. It's worse than total rejection. A friend recently discovered they were "limited" on a few facebooks. Not a happy discovery.
I am dealing with this problem of irritation. I joined a group on facebook - "I have rejected someone who I dont want to add as a friend". Apparently they don't know when you reject them. A good thing. Although that person who I keep rejecting and they keep requesting obviously hasn't worked out when things are no longer 'pending' and they need to keep 'requesting', it isn't a good sign.
Note- pending 8 requests. You will never be accepted...
Last year I was in dot co dot il for pesach. It was rad. That was when David stole my title.
I commented that every Tom, Dick and Harry had this insatiable need to mention blogs at 5 minute intervals. This year, it was Facebook.
Now, the only reason I got on that thing was to see what it's all about. I'm already tired. It's just some other task I have to do every day and I can't be bothered. The worst part is I have to reject and ignore those people who request to be my friend on facebook. These are people I haven't spoken to in a while or even remotely know. If I haven't spoken to you in a while, the only people who slip through in that category are those who live overseas, and were born there. If you just moved there, from Sydney AND I haven't spoken to you in a while you don't make the cut.
The whole point is, it lets your friends know what you're up to, where you're at. If you have these bunch of half-nelsons on your facebook, what's the point in letting them know what you're up to? That's why I'm not friends with you, I don't want you to know, and I never have.
Yes- I take my facebook seriously. It isn't a contest, it's a social server.
Then there is the other problem of "limited profile". If I decide to be nice and let you in, but only give you limited access, people can tell. It's worse than total rejection. A friend recently discovered they were "limited" on a few facebooks. Not a happy discovery.
I am dealing with this problem of irritation. I joined a group on facebook - "I have rejected someone who I dont want to add as a friend". Apparently they don't know when you reject them. A good thing. Although that person who I keep rejecting and they keep requesting obviously hasn't worked out when things are no longer 'pending' and they need to keep 'requesting', it isn't a good sign.
Note- pending 8 requests. You will never be accepted...
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