Russ Page
Exploring the Art & Science of Marketing
Bad PR still gets press
Nov 25th
Here’s a rediculous concept. Bad PR still gets press. How? Because people write about how bad it is.
Let me show you.
Set Godin Cites Incredible Press Release From Hell
The PR folks are used to having to shovel loads and loads of outbound stuff in order to get one or two things picked up. That’s the way it works in traditional media.
That’s 10 total blogs have linked back to Seth’s original post about the bad PR of “THE VENDARE GROUP CHANGES NAME TO VENDARE MEDIA”? 11 if you include me. How many people have read those posts? The press release just had 11 blogs post information about their headline, which simply helps with Vendare’s SEO rankings. Funny how Seth (and now I) may just be contributing to the problem by giving the problem recognition.
Here are some of the other’s who are contributing to the problem (now I am included)
larry borsato
what’snextblog.com
lightbox5.com
Go, Go, Miller
Nov 25th
A friend of mine is celebrating the 30-birthday of his motorcyle. Even more insteresting is the fact that he created a WML app that works with his mobile phone to record the price of gas when he fills up his two-wheeled pony. Now he has 30 month’s worth of data (graph included) tracking his gasoline consumption.
Each time I buy gas I open up my phone and record how much gas I bought, how much it cost, and my current odometer reading. I don’t quite know why I started doing it, probably just for fun, but now I have 30 months of historical data which is sort of interesting to look at.
via [ RichardKMiller.com ]
Black Black Friday
Nov 25th
From what I have been reading from other folks on the Internet is that they have seen some unruly behavior today during black Friday shopping . . . I have heard the stories, but I have never actually seen it myself. Well, not in real life.
I didn’t have this experience.
In fact, mine were all quite the opposite, yet I wasn’t standing in front of BestBuy or Wal-Mart for a cheap-o computer or laptop at 5 a.m. in the freezing cold. I will tell you I am very dissappointed by those early risers that went to my local Circuit City in Midvale, Utah. They left coffee cups and scatterings of their early morning garbage all over the sidewalks. I did find some great deals though – mostly DVDs. Interesting though, I didn’t even see one XBOX 360 the entire 6 1/2 hour shopping day.
I did have an a-ha experience of the most unlikely kind today. I was actually thinking about those little paper toilet covers that stores keep on the back of their toilets and how they often say “Provided by the Management for Your Protection.” Protection from what? Are they suggesting that their toilets are so terrible that we need the management to protect us from some unknown funk growing in the bathrooms? We all know what they are for . . . don’t try to sell it as a customer service tool. It just comes out the wrong way . . . no pun.
Feeling famous
Nov 23rd
I participated in a news discussion about Microsoft’s “shortage” of the XBOX 360. What I essentially told the reporter is that it’s all a ruse to manipulate the laws of economics and to generate publicity. Microsoft leaks or says “we may not have enough to go around” and people run to the store.
Russell Page, a technology marketing consultant based in Utah, says it’s no secret that Microsoft is trying to gain momentum with its new offering to overtake Sony as the No. 1 game system in sales in America. Microsoft is now second.
Page said that Microsoft could be welcoming talk of shortages this holiday season.
“This idea of a shortage sends consumers to the stores with their pocketbooks,” Page said. “The Xbox (360) is likely going to be hard to find because it creates a marketing buzz.”
via [ Akron Beacon Journal ] – XBOX 360 is the talk of the game world
Even better, look at what happens to the perceived value of the XBOX 360. Suddenly, $399 doesn’t sound like so much when $699 is a good deal on eBay.
Crowded Japanese Subway
Nov 23rd
UPDATE: MPAA + Bram Cohen
Nov 22nd
Isn’t this some kind of mathematical inequality to say that the MPAA’s Dan Glickman and BitTorrent inventor Bram Cohen will be doing a press conference today?
This has got to be a joke.
UPDATE: Hollywood, BitTorrent software creator reach agreement
What did they do? Brainwash?
Microns and Intels and Apples, oh my
Nov 22nd
Intel and Micron hookin it up to give it up to Apple.
The two tech giants said Monday they would form a new company called IM Flash Technologies LLC to manufacture NAND flash memory that is used in many consumer electronics, removable storage and handheld communications devices.
The new venture would manufacture products exclusively for Micron and Intel. However, both of those companies have entered into separate long-term contracts to supply Apple Computer Inc. with “a significant portion” of their share of IM Flash’s NAND flash memory output, with Apple to prepay $250 million to each company.
via [ DesNews ]
more via [ Utah Tech Watch ]
more via [ Forbes ]
more via [ MacOSX.org ]
once upon a time ago, I worked in Micron’s Corporate Affairs office.
XBOX 360 – Ah, the hype (great marketing) of it all.
Nov 21st
Have you played one yet? The XBOX 360. Test versions started showing up in Wal-Marts over a month ago. No announcements. No advertisements. They just slipped ‘em in. What happened? People told people. Smart marketing.
keep the marketing guy – KTMG
Here’s a round up of some of the XBOX 360 news for today –
XBOX 360 is a winner, but at a great cost – LA Times
XBOX 360 delivers, for all types of gamers – San Jose Mercury News
Gates: XBOX 360 key to Microsoft Strategy – Seattle Post Intelligencer
Microsoft XBOX 360 Media Center Extender – ABC News/PC Magazine
Microsoft XBOX 360 Seen As Positive Stock Driver – Forbes (should have bought stock. 3 million units already sold at a minimum price of $399. You do the math).
