When I got two copies of this CD through the post, I groaned. Not because I had been a doofus in ordering twice, but because returning items is usually so painful.
So it was with delight that I got this message from Amazon when starting the Returns process. That’s customer service good enough for me to tell everyone in ear-shot in the office.
Great quote from the Kennedys TV drama. JFK hasn’t been in the job long when he laments the reality of his role to Jackie:
I’m starting to realize that this job is about choosing between two lousy options. And the right choice is the one that’s just a little less lousy.
That’s senior management isn’t it? By the time an issue gets to you, it has to be a tough call. If it was easy, people could make it themselves.
Interesting observation from the ever-readable Noel Gallagher in this month’s Word magazine.
He postulates his theory that Oasis benefitted from a time when it took tangible effort from fans to get the band experience. There was no transient, half-hearted clicking of links – people had to really invest their time and effort. That engendered loyalty and camaraderie.
Just like bands, the over-supply of distractions and ease of switching attention means it’s harder than ever for brands to get famous and stay relevant. Being distinct and trying hard to give genuine value are the best ways to go Supersonic.
Encouraging parallel conversations during live events has been gathering pace recently. The Guardian have long had much success with their interactive minute-by-minute coverage of sport, and more recently live rolling news.
Even sweet old Radio 4 is getting in on the act; last night I heard them encouraging people to use the hashtag #r4riot and join in with one of their live shows.
But my favourite example recently is Riz Ahmed, an actor in Four Lions, tweeting live (simultweeting?) along with a screening of the film on TV. What a great way to spread the word and encouraging re-watching. It’s a bit like the audio commentaries you get as extras on DVD, but much more vital.
Like everyone else, I’ve been beguiled by the unfolding hacking drama at News International.
It’s been well discussed that it took the confluence of tenacious, brilliant reporting from the Guardian with the amplifying power of social media to really land the killer blows.
One thing that’s really struck me, though, is the impact of social media on crisis management PR.
NI took the understandable step (eventually) of publishing an apology last weekend in all the nationals, followed by “and now let’s put it right” the day after. These are classic steps in the crisis management playbook.
However, are they relevant any more? Within moments of the apology being published, it’d been dissected, remixed, lampooned and re-broadcast by the Twittersphere – undermining its power markedly.
Traditional crisis management has relied on a scarcity of the ability to broadcast. I.e. get your message on tv/in the papers and that’ll drown out dissenters.
Not any more.
Fun and very well-made Greenpeace video attacking VW, but the comments are mixed at best, with many commenters suggesting they picked the wrong target.
[edit] looks like George Lucas didn’t appreciate the copyright infringement!
I’ve said before that one of my favourite tricks in developing new products is simply to break one rule – take a successful formula and change just one thing.
Instagr.am does just that – it’s the Twitter model of easy microblogging, but based around photos rather than text and it seems to be catching fire by enabling people to broadcast their creativity to friends and strangers in a fast and customisable way.
There’s a need for this. Whereas Facebook’s blithely happy environment pulls towards the mainstream, emerging services such as Instagr.am skew towards the thoughtful and creative. And there’s a place for that.
After the hoopla of WWDC, it’s an interesting counterpoint to see Steve Jobs in a more regular business presentation – this one to the local Cupertino council about their proposed new campus.
The natural salesman in Steve shines through, and he outlines the benefits simply and passionately. Proof that any material can be made compelling.
It’s also another testament to Apple’s unhindered visions – they’re not just getting a new campus, but taking a shot at making the best office building in the world
via macrumors
Well this is audacious. Their explanation says it all
This video was created as an official response to the Newsweek article calling Grand Rapids a “dying city.” We disagreed strongly, and wanted to create a video that encompasses the passion and energy we all feel is growing exponentially, in this great city.
Amazing story of how someone tracked down the thief of his laptop and posted its webcam pictures for everyone to see.
It’s fantastic publicity for the tracking software used, Hidden. Had this been a deliberate PR stunt, it would have been genius.
This comment by a user of Metafilter commenting on commercially-led changes to Digg made me stop and think in its directness. It’s a great insight and updates “there’s no such thing as a free lunch” for the data era.
If you are not paying for it, you’re not the customer; you’re the product being sold
(via @robmanuel)
Next day the posters appeared in due course, and the public were informed, in all the colours of the rainbow, and in letters afflicted with every possible variation of spinal deformity, how that Mr Johnson would have the honour of making his last appearance that evening, and how that an early application for places was requested, in consequence of the extraordinary overflow attendant on his performances,—it being a remarkable fact in theatrical history, but one long since established beyond dispute, that it is a hopeless endeavour to attract people to a theatre unless they can be first brought to believe that they will never get into it.
Nicholas Nickleby, p.378
All great ads have a clear insight and planning idea behind them. This french ad for Kronenbourg 1664 is all about slowing down with a beer, and the Motorhead execution is lovely.
I bet Grolsch wish they’d thought of it.
via Dangerous Minds
People don’t like ads interrupting their viewing, and adverts that aren’t relevant to particular viewers (or skipped) don’t work.
Step forward MirriAd – a neat way of allowing product placement to be inserted post production. Its effectiveness will all be down to execution, but it’s a very neat idea. Imagine being able to place ads into programmes tactically at a minute’s notice, or show ads for products a particular viewer has been researching online.
Check out the video demo.
