The middle man...

Again, another interesting post...

Triangulation is an interesting theory to think about for many marketers and entrepreneurs.

I myself instantly started to think more towards the 16 dollar bottle. Amazing what more options/competition can do in this consumer driven world.

Risky business

Again, while reading over some of Seth's posts, I came across an interesting little blog that I thought was noteworthy.

Risk truly is something companies worry about day in and day out. Executives make decisions to buy new products, acquire new services, and even hire new people everyday based on the risk of their new acquisition being successful. Seth mentions a key point that most B2B transactions require a large amount of risk, seeing as the amount/size of their order is much larger then most consumer requests.

I do have to agree with him for the most part. A high amount of risk is not always a negative quality. It intrigues certain people to try new alternatives and hope for the best. And like he says, when people discover a new success, coming from a large risk, they are much more likely to tell their associates and friends.

Think about it. It is like hearing about a completely new computer coming out, something different then a PC or the all mighty Macs. Not everyone is going to be quick to jump the gun on it because it is a huge risk compared to the safety they have with their previous computers. When someone decides to indulge in this risk, however, and find success, well then the new Apple has been created. These satisfied customers will soon spread (WOM) the word and the business will benefit from their risk factor.

Word of caution: creating products with a higher risk is not always wise. Though it does have the potential to generate a great amount of buzz, you must be 100% confident that your product/service does not fail.

Justin.Sane!!!

While checking out some great blogs this week (including Seth's blog), I came across a rather interesting and peculiar site. It's called Justin.tv and gives a unique look at one individuals life. If you have not already done so, I strongly urge you visit the site and spend some time there, for this could be the start of something new.

Justin, the CEO and cameraman of this site, has strapped a camera to his hat and has been recording his life for the past 17 days now to its entirety. From running errands to the post office, to going on dates with girls he meets, he makes sure to include every single detail as if you were right alongside him, as a Siamese twin. The interesting, yet rather brow-raising feature of this site is that the video is streamed live for any visitor to see.

The homepage consists of a video display of Justin, links to his blog where he recaps his day, forums, detailed schedules of his days, and more. When I visited, I was surprised to find so many fans and other visitors conversing rapidly on the interactive chat-boxes provided through the site. As I sat waiting, watching Justin type away on his laptop, I wondered if he ever interacted with the live audience he had on his site. I also began to ask people and fans there what attracted them to this site, not only initially, but to return as much as some did (nearly everyday for some). Disregarding some ignorant remarks, I managed to reveal that people just liked being there, talking with others, and watching another person live there life. It seems that people have this fascination with watching and knowing what other people are doing. Yet I cannot really complain, because I too found myself glued to the website, watching this stranger's every move. It was intriguing, yes, but rather creepy at the same time.

After about 20 minutes, however, I finally decided to pull myself away from watching him and put some real thought into what was going on. My first question was whether or not he really came up with this idea, or is some company behind this? And if there isn't, how long is it going to take for there to be one backing the project?

Seeing as this blog is all about advertising, I also thought about the endless possibilities with this new media. First off, Justin already has sponsors filling the bottom portion of the site, and they aren't little local companies. Companies like Go Daddy and Zipcar are already backing him financial. I think it will only be a matter of time before the banner ads and possible pop-ups come.

But the big idea, in my opinion, is the possibility of extreme product placement. Think about it for a minute. The more people that come to Justin's site, the more hits he gets, and the better ranked his website becomes. The better ranked, the more attention he will receive from marketing companies and advertising firms seeking locations to put their products/services. Now, digest this.

Justin lives his life day to day, minute by minute on camera to the entire world. He eats certain foods, uses specific electronics, wears branded clothes, and much more. Imagine these companies contacting Justin about how they want to "sponsor" him in his life! He would be one of the first sponsors of a company for doing nothing! He wouldn't be an athlete, artist, or musician. Companies like Apple could buy his crew laptops and get full product placement. Even car companies can lend him cars so he can drive it around where ever he needs to. The potential with this website are amazing, and I can't wait to see what happens with Justin.tv

Until then, check out what he's doing, spread the word...it's something to watch
Check out this article about it, the Real Truman show

Ask Google what they think...

If you Google my name, you'll most likely find a link to this site in the top 3 links. In fact, if you Google your own name, you'll probably find something long lost about yourself. That's not the point. The point is, nearly everyone who uses the Internet uses Google. To many, Google has become their homepage and a sole search engine devoted to research, entertainment, and news. In fact, this blog is even powered by Google. At some point, one must stop and wonder when the line of being a monopoly is crossed. Recently, someone actually did stop to question this fact, and that someone is competitor Ask.com.

In a new effort to expand people's methods of obtaining information via the Internet, Ask has begun a guerrilla marketing campaign that has intrigued quite a buzz. This new campaign was recently launched in the UK and can be seen on the underground rails of London. The idea was formulated through the frustration of many reps at Ask. The employees were not necessarily angry with Google, for they mention how Google has done nothing wrong. They are more disappointed with the way people retrieve information on the web, and usually rely on only one source/search engine.

The ad is meant to generate a great amount of buzz among people, intriguing the viewer to visit the sponsored-site shown. Though it is quite an effective ad, people have criticized Ask for not listing their name on the message.

In my opinion, however, leaving out the Ask logo/name in the ad has several advantages. This is a message to sway people away from using one primary search engine, mainly Google. It would be a contradiction if Ask were to label their-selves in the ad for it would give the impression that they want everyone to use their site now. In comparison, it would be like a giant PSA campaign to encourage people try different things, but then hinting that your product/service is the best alternative. Plus, that is the intention of the ad, to tell people to try more sites when searching for information. This is why Ask lists several search engines on their mentioned website information-revolution.org, giving people an option to check multiple sources.

If you check out this site, you'll notice a "revolutionary" tone to the pages. You will also find the Ask logo at the bottom of the page, revealing who is behind the message. The company is asking people to join the movement and describes that the freedom of information is an important right to possess, and nothing should limit that. Though there is still criticism from skeptical people who argue Ask should not intervene, the site legitimizes Ask and shows that they truly are concerned in this issue, rather than wanting people to use their site.

Both bad and good, this guerrilla campaign has sparked quite the commotion among several people and groups. The advertising will soon extend to other outlets including print, radio, TV, and billboard. The messages have started debates on many blogs and through several public. Despite the backlash, I feel Ask needs to stick with with their campaign and support something that is going unnoticed among many.

The freedom of information lies mainly within the hands of the people. Especially when concerning the Internet, I feel people need to take more responsibility with their information obtained and how they source their gatherings. I feel Ask has done a great job in informing people on the issue, and should continue educating people through the power of WOM and guerilla advertising.

To read more on the topic, start with CNET's News.com post.