Over At GadgetTalk: Ranting About Media Roles

MarketnewsGadgetTalk: Trade Journalism vs. Public Relations: Where is the Line Drawn?

I have a lot of loud opinions. Here, let me share some with you.

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The Realities Of Modern Television Advertising

Opinionated businessman Mark Cuban has a recent blog post where he rails against something that gets on all our nerves: loud TV commercials:

Mark Cuban: How Advertisers Shoot Themselves In Their Collective Feet

With all the technology and alternatives to watching commercials on TV I would think that advertisers would do everything humanly possible to eliminate any elements that would immediately trigger a viewer to fast forward to change the channel.

Is this not commen senese ?

If it is, then why in the world do advertisers JACK UP THE VOLUME OF THEIR COMMERCIALS ?

Like any other business endeavor, some advertising gurus are brilliant, others are average, and some are stupid.

Way back in the 80's when the "mute" button came into common use, good advertisers learned that they needed to make their commercials get their brand message across even with the sound off.

Nowadays, all of my TV watching is pre-recorded on my PVR, which means that I skip past the commercials on 3x fast forward. Something I've noticed is that even at high speed, some commercials still make a branding statement, whereas others only show confused glimpses.
Obviously, some marketers are doing a good job of dealing with the modern realities of getting through to viewers. But of course, we don't remember the ones that do a good job, we remember the ones that anger us.

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News Media Catches On To Best Buy Capital Story

Here's some followup on the story I ran March 18 on CE Pro, titled, Best Buy Capital to Invest in Tech Innovations.

On March 28, reporters for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal ran a story titled Best Buy builds VC unit to find next big things. While it's clear that Grayson and Vomhof did lots of research that brought extra angles to the story, it's annoying when they don't credit who first broke the story.

Me.

We all know that traditional news people all read blogs, and often are bloggers themselves, yet somehow many still act as if the blogosphere is either fluff or doesn't actually exist. Which is an irrelevant concern in this instance, since CE Pro is a major name in the CE trade media and does real industry journalism. Not citing CE Pro is like not citing the Wall St Journal for having the story first.

Tech blogger Graeme Thickens does a great job of connecting the dots about how the story spread, and giving credit where it is due in his post entitled: Bloggers Break 'Best Buy Capital' Story; Company Goes Mum, and also goes into deeper detail on how rather than comment via the PR department, Best Buy tried to pretend that this story didn't exist. For his work raising awareness of both my work, and bloggers (the hat I wear in addition to being a member of the CE trade media) in general, I am grateful.

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Fox Business News is like CNBC, only weirder

In case any of you thought that Fox might actually bring something worthwhile to the broadcast business news table, your fears are laid to rest:





What the hell was that? Are the writers for MadTV are scabbing for Fox Business Network under assumed names?


It might have been forgiveable if it had been clever or funny, or both.



Hat tip: Dealbreaker.com

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"The View" commenter Sherri Shepherd doesn't know her ass from a hole in the ground

I was going to leave this story alone. So help me, I really was.

But I can't.

NY Post: 'VIEW' HISTORY LESSON: SHERRI SHEPHERD SAYS JESUS CAME WAY FIRST

December 5, 2007 -- THE new co-host of "The View," Sherri Shepherd, yesterday insisted Christianity was older than ancient Greece, and even Judaism.
Shepherd - who said earlier this year that she didn't know if the world was flat or round - said during a short-lived discussion of Greek philosophy on yesterday's show that she was pretty sure nothing "predated Christians."

As infuriating as it is to see this kind of ignorance broadcast in the major media, it does have a salutary lesson.

In case you didn't already know: just because someone is on television or film does not mean that they know anything, or that their opinions are even remotely valuable.

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Wal-mart cracking down on intel leaks

CNet: Wal-Mart tries to stop early Black Friday ad posts

Wal-Mart's lawyers have an early holiday message for Web sites that post Black Friday ads ahead of their official release date: Don't do it. Wal-Mart Stores said on Friday that its lawyers have sent letters to the Web sites,saying publishing the ads before their official November 19 release date violates Wal-Mart's copyrights and other rights.
"Such violations can give rise to liabilities and severe legal penalties," said the letter, posted on the bfads.net Web site (PDF). "To the extent that the methods of acquisition or use include criminal activity, criminal penalties may also apply."
November 19 is just four days before Black Friday, the day after the Thanksgiving Day holiday when shoppers throng to stores looking for deep discounts that retailers use as a lure to get the key holiday sales season off to a strong start.
But more and more of the advertising circulars retailers put out a few days ahead of Black Friday have found their way to Web sites weeks in advance instead.

This sounds like a job for Wal-mart's Directorate of Intelligence, Black Ops, and Slinky Leather Clad Assassins which they unveiled last spring.

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Fox News announces Carly Fiorina TV!

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that "there are no Second Acts in American Life," an aphorism that Dealbreaker.com is fond of pointing out just isn't true.

Case in point, Ex-Hewlett Packard chief Carly Fiorina's new career:

Loren Steffy: Heeeeeere's Carly!

We've been wondering for a while now what was next for ousted Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina. First, of course, there was the book. Then there was the speculation. Now, we have the answer.
She's joining the new Fox Business Network as a "contributor." However, thenetwork isn't saying what exactly she will be contributing.

Personally I'm waiting for NBC to bow an espionage themed cross between The Apprentice and The Mole, starring jailbird former HP Chair Patricia "Spies Like Us" Dunn, who in addition to being an evil mastermind, is pretty foxy. I think she's a natural for network television.

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Brits to ban plasma televisions?

The Sun: Plans to ban plasma TV's

THE Conservatives will propose banning plasma screens and other energy-guzzling electrical goods in a report to be unveiled next week.

The proposals target white goods like fridges and freezers, as well as TVs, personal computers and DVD players that use too much energy or operate on stand-by.

The ideas come from a Conservative group set up by David Cameron to develop policies to protect the environment and although the measures to make household electrical appliances more energy efficient are not binding on Mr Cameron, they are thought likely to be warmly received by the Tory leader.

Before you panic, here's the tipoff that this article is an early April Fool's day prank:

The group will also suggest scrapping Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of the nation’s success in favour of a model that measures people’s happiness drawn up up by Friends of the Earth.

Yeah, because that will happen.

Alright, now do you buy it?

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It's Official!

I've been elevated from Blogger to Media, and I have the Press Pass to prove it.

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After Hours: 305 and Gorilla Gripper

300 meets The Office:




Sexist advertising is alive and well:

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Bud Light, the Swear Jar, Unintended Consequences, and brilliant marketing

I love it!

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I hate myself for it, but I will rise to the bait

Yahoo!: Rosie a tough act to follow, but some candidates could bring excitement to 'View'
NEW YORK (AP) - Now that Rosie O'Donnell has exited stage left, "The View" must find someone to fill her seat



If I may make a suggestion:




Train it to attack Donald Trump, and it will be a shoe-in!

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Poodle Sheep Story A Fake!?

It has been brought to my attention that last night's story about counterfeit poodles may not be genuine.

From my email this morning:

Lee,

The various media seem reasonably certain the sheep as poodles story is a hoax, and a repeat offender at that, but they are having so much fun with puns and other word play one could almost think the story was invented just for that. The press in Australia and New Zealand were particularly entranced, not surprisingly.

Well, it looks like I got fleeced.

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Minyanville vs General Motors

I don't know how I missed this the other day. Better late than never.





If you don't regularly check out Minyanville.com, you really should.

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And the Award for Best Visual Aid Ever Goes To...

Remember yesterday when I said I was bored with the housing bubble this week?

I guess that I spoke too soon.

This is smeared all over the internet now, but I got it from Paul Kedrosky's Infectious Greed.

US home prices since 1890 plotted as a roller coaster:




As a mental exercise, I watched it twice. Once I visualized that I was on a real rollercoaster, feeling physical forces at work. The other time I visualized that it was my money rising and plunging like that. I can't decide which one made my stomach churn more.

One of Paul Kedrosky's commenters made a great point, that doesn't diminish how entertaining this video was:

">
3. Comment by Andi -- April 5, 2007 @ 10:33 PM
It is the upward climb in prices that is exhilarating if you're a home owner and the downward plunge that is slow, tedious and painful (more so if you're a buyer seeking bottom).
Even so, it's a great visual analogy...

Fun!

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THX certified Christmas Lights

Now this is a home automation project!



Christmas Lights Synced Up To THX Sound - Click Here for more great videos and pictures!

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Since I'm on about the Music Industry

Here's a fun sketch called "That's Pretty Underground"


Thats Pretty Underground - Click Here for more great videos and pictures!

I'm pretty sure both of them used to work in the CD department at A&B Sound.


*Hat tip to my good friend Charles Farley.

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WWE wrestlers nailed for steroids

I'm sure that this comes as a terrible shock to all of you.

Yahoo!: Report: Pro wrestlers linked to nationwide steroids inquiry
Eleven professional wrestlers, including the WWE's Randy Orton, have joined the list of athletes linked to a nationwide steroids investigation.
SI.com reported Monday that Orton allegedly received eight prescriptions for six different drugs -- including stanozolol, nandrolone and testosterone -- between March 2004 and August 2004. According to the documents SI.com reviewed, two doctors whose names also appear in Gary Matthews Jr.'s file, wrote prescriptions for Orton.
Orton, through the WWE, declined comment, SI.com said.
In its review of documents, SI.com reported it found Adam Copeland, a.k.a. Edge, and Shane Helms, a.k.a. The Hurricane, received HGH from Applied Pharmacy in Mobile, Ala., one of the pharmacies raided in the investigation led by Albany, N.Y., District Attorney David Soares.
Through the WWE, Copeland and Helms didn't respond to a request for comment, SI.com said.
WWE spokesman Gary Davis told SI.com that WWE policy prohibits performance-enhancing drugs but would not say whether any wrestlers have tested positive since the policy was enacted.
A statement release Monday night by WWE said the allegations reported by SI.com occurred before the organization implemented its "Talent Wellness Program," which deems "prescriptions obtained over the Internet and/or from suppliers of prescription drugs from the Internet are not considered to have been given for a legitimate medical purpose."
Also linked to the scandal, in various reports, are baseball's Jose Canseco, John Rocker, Jerry Hairston Jr. and David Bell, former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, Pittsburgh Steelers doctor Richard Rydze, 1996 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kurt Angle and bodybuilder Victor Martinez.

The Good News: apparently the NFL is in the clear. 280lb linemen with <15% bodyfat who run a 4.0 40-yard dash apparently grow on trees. (That was sarcasm)

The Bad News: going forward, it looks like many of the world records in pro wrestling will have an (*) asterisk placed beside them. (That was also sarcasm)

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Marketing cliches

It's an oldie, but I thought I would link to a great post on Forty Media called "Top Ten Stock Photography Cliches"

I would love to see someone use those exact ten photos in their next prospectus or annual report.

Speaking of "The Flirty Customer Service Gal" I don't believe that this girl:

actually works for Star Choice. Every time I've asked to speak to her, I get the runaround.

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The most cogent analysis of the PS3 so far

Hat tip to Marketing Matters







I'm going to have this song stuck in my head all day now.

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