bliss Diss

I happened to be listening to Penn Jillette's radio show on Free FM in New York the other day when he brought up the story of a juggler who had outdone another. Sounds exciting right?

Well, I didn't give it too much thought until a coworker sent me a video of Chris Bliss juggling. That's when I recalled how Penn Jillette had ripped this guy a new one for what he was calling a shotty juggling performance. If you watch the video, you'll see that the audience didn't feel that way. In fact most of them, if interviewed after the show, would probably say they were super impressed. Obviously my coworker was impressed enough to send me the link.

That's also when I recalled Penn talking about how another juggler had seen the Chris Bliss show, and been so disgusted by it, that he aimed to prove that the Chris Bliss performance was a sham. This juggler's name is Jason Garfield, and if you spend just a few moments on his site, you'll get the idea that this guy is as serious about juggling as my mom is about sun screen and vitamins (pretty serious).

Jason Garfield was so offended by the applause and recognition that Chris Bliss was getting for his amateur-type juggling performance, that he decided to learn the routine in a few weeks, film it, and one up Chris by doing the same routine with 5 balls instead of 3. Calling the act the "bliss Diss" (an intentional use of capitalization I assume), Jason Garfield attempted to stick up for serious jugglers everywhere.

What is amazing to me, as I think about this whole situation, is how it relates to advertising. So many times, we in the industry sit around griping about others work, complaining that it's uninformed, out of touch, even that it sucks. But then few of us actually step up the plate and deliver something that not only shows we understand the brand's problem, but that we can solve it better. If someone could "bliss Diss" an ad out there, then that person has every right to pass judgement. But until then, we should all concentrate on our own problems.

To give Chris Bliss some credit, it does appear that he does better at comedy than he does juggling.

And to give Jason Garfield some serious credit... his passion for juggling has made me rethink how I look at the sport (but you could ease up a bit on the intensity man).

New media ain't easy

It's occurred to me that keeping this blog thing going is no easy task. I know several friends who have been on hiatus from their blogs for a few months. Not knowing any better, those two people who read this blog might assume that I too have allowed my blog to fall by the wayside, judging by my infrequent and unpredictable posts.

What is interesting to me is that there are some 14 million blogs out there (that # is from my best recollection - no hard and fast data there) and eventually that number is going to start to dwindle. Perhaps there should be some way of calculating how many posts are truly active and those which receive a certain number of hits per day or week. Let's say we counted the number of blogs that are updated at least 5 times per week and have 100 unique visitors per week. I'd say that 14 million number would get knocked down well under 1 million. But again that's just a guess.

What I have found is that people are discovering it's really hard to not only keep up a blog, but also deal with the baggage associated with it. There is hate mail, suggestions, spammers... it's a high maintenance operation. The same holds true for podcasts and especially video podcasts.

As we celebrate this foray into the world of consumer-driven, consumer-created media, I think the thing that consumers are finding is that creating the media initially is simple, but keeping up the content, as well as managing and maintaining the stuff is rather difficult. It takes time, and if you are popular enough to pull some serious bandwidth - money.

So I wonder when the blog phenomenon will jump the shark? When will consumers get tired of the work associated with generating their own content and return to corporate sponsored media (commercial television, or at least online video or content with commercials)?

I've heard that people are more willing to download a video or television show that has a commercial tied to it, as opposed to paying for it themselves (again no hard data - just a nodding assumption of truth). And it makes sense to me. Why wouldn't our self-interest-driven economy desire to hold onto the cash and sacrifice 30 seconds of time? Time is money, but relatively few people actually calculate the opportunity cost of time in terms of real hard cash. The assumption is that I do, in fact, have 30 seconds to get through an ad if it means I'm not opening my wallet.

I am not Nostradamus, and I am not predicting the end of the blogosphere, but I do wonder how long the working public can keep up the pace? When will interest wane and a new medium explode? Or will an old medium re-emerge?

Blog Mart

It seems that Wal-Mart just doesn't get it. I've boycotted Wal-Mart for many years, for many reasosns, but here's another one: stupid marketing tactics.

In a NY Times story, Michael Barbaro details how Wal-Mart is feeding bloggers information to post on their blogs.

What Wal-Mart doesn't get here is that on the Internet, it is easy to see when you are conniving. When a few popular bloggers all of a sudden have similar posts, even the same posts... people take notice. And then they blog about it!

What Wal-Mart doesn't understand here is that blogs are personal opinions. It's word of mouth advertising to a new power. If you are a company and you want to take advantage of the blogosphere, you must go in with one critical piece of understanding - you don't control the message.

You don't craft the message. You barely influence the message. All you can truly hope to do is produce a quality product or service that is worthy of someone's time. Whatever one's opinion is, it will be recorded and displayed for anyone to see.

It's not hard to market with bloggers well, because bloggers, by nature, want something to talk about. They need a rant or a rave. You can provide for them either the former or the latter, but either way it will be typed and uploaded and RSSed...

A great example of a company using bloggers to deliver their message is Sprint. Read here about one blogger's experience with Sprint's new phone service and phone. The key in Sprint's story is their is no messaging that indicates talking points, a company message, or a requirement for a blogger to say anything at all. Simply treat a blogger like an insider and there you have a golden opportunity to receive some honest and (most likely) positive press.

More and more Wal-Mart is looking less like a company these days, and alarmingly more like a political candidate... constantly fighting to stay popular in the polls of public opinion. (They even take jabs at companies like Target as if they had Swift Boat Veterans on their side. i.e. Target may not have collected any Salvation Army money this past year, but it doesn't mean that they don't donate to charity)

I believe Wal-Mart's ultimate demise will be from within, as they fight to prevent attacks that will only do harm if their service is outweighed by the truth of their attacker's point of view. In the end, people will do what is best for themselves, and it can't always mean that the lowest price is the best option.

The Rudy of college basketball

Here's a tremendous story that proves sports is more than just the championships and the bling. Make sure that you watch the video associated with it.

J.J. Redick has nothing on J. McE.

No. 78

So, here's my running commentary on this year's Oscars. I'm sure you all will be riveted by my insight.

:: John Stewart... excellent choice as emcee.

:: Return to glamour? There's a theme for this shit?

:: Why is it that every male/female team that wins has the man speaking first? Hey, they just cut off that woman's 1/2 second of fame by cutting the mic, because that fat guy talked too long. Disgraceful.

:: Charlize Theron has just returned from 1988. Seriously, how big can that bow get?... but I'd still unwrap her.
Close you eyes half way... pucker up your lips, and say... "I like your sleeves." "Thanks I made them myself."

:: Some one please help that old woman. She can't read it. SHE CAN'T READ IT! Make the fuckin' headlines bigger. Oh god, she's dying.

:: That man stepped on Sandra Bullock's dress!

:: Hey what a surprise? The academy would like us to go to the theatres more. Hey what a surprise?! Too bad no one is listening, or cares if all of these millionaires have a few less bucks in their pockets. Instead of criticizing the DVD and new distribution media, why don't you figure out a way to allow it to help.

:: Selma Hayeck... damn!

:: Selma Hayeck... hot damn!

:: The Oscars are the new Super Bowl for advertising apparently. GM and HSBC have launched new campaigns, new tags. "Only GM" doesn't tell me much. In a time when people are worried about gas mileage and safety, do I really believe there is only GM? Do I really believe that GM is the leader in cars, trucks and SUVs, when they have just made some very public and very big layoffs?

:: HSBC's campaign seems nice. (Public disclosure: they are a client.) It's honest. I don't know if it is ground breaking or tells me much about HSBC as a bank, but at least it isn't presumptuous or tactless.

:: Plugs... this guy just gave plugs for his book and play and he just got an honorary Oscar. Should you really need to plug your work when you get an honorary Oscar. Well, I guess if you never got one for a single piece of work... seriously, this guy seems pretty cool I guess.

:: Joaquin Phoenix should be our Secretary of State. Seriously, who would fuck with us if we had his glare sitting across the table from another ambassador.

:: Nice work American Express!.

:: It's hard out here for a cuss. Apparently someone at ABC didn't like one of the ones said, although I thought "bitch" was supposed to make it through. Rap meets prostitutes miming and jazz dancing. What the hell was that? Hip hop just jumped the shark.

:: And the just won the mutha fuckin' Oscar. Thank you Jesus! Oh, another cuss. Funny that the worst part of that pretty good movie just won an Oscar.

:: Jennifer Garner... damn, damn.

:: In memoriam... when they have to include your title, you're lucky to be in the montage. "Adventures in Babysitting?" I can make it in Hollywood I guess!

:: Do women really need a new, pink! energy drink? Finally, women can feel good about an energy drink.

:: Hilary Swank... uh huh.

:: Can you go wrong by thanking your mom?

:: M&M's - nice :-)

:: Glamour ads should not have tag lines.

:: ABC is convinced that they can make every American cry for an hour every night, or they'll die trying. Miracle workers. My tear duct need a refill, please.

:: "Okay here we go." Did anyone else here the show's producer's voice slip over Jon Travolta's presentation?

:: Reese. Is it hard to go through life with an Oscar and your own peanut butter cup?

:: That guy just snuck a kiss from Charlize Theron. Lucky bastard!

:: I still really like that Diet Coke roller skating commercial. And I don't necessarily want to like it, but I have come to terms with the fact that I just plain like it.

:: Crash! That woman's boobies almost popped out she's so excited! That's a ripped producer woman.

:: You can't cut off someone's speech that just won Best Picture!

:: And finally I'd like to thank Dee, for allowing me to say all those things about the hot actresses of the evening without leaving me. Love you!