DunderMifflin.com and DunderMifflinInfinity.com: Limitless Paper In a Paperless World

When a TV show works hard to truly impersonate reality, it's only natural that they would make an effort to break down the wall between entertainment and real life.

One of the reasons why NBC's The Office is so popular is that, while exaggerated, most people who have worked in an office can draw parallels between Dwights and Angelas on the screen and Dwights and Angelas in their own workplaces. It is essentially a live action Dilbert strip, and it rings true.

I am pleased to say that The Office has a vivid digtal life thanks to two sites, DunderMifflin.com and DunderMifflinInfinity.com.

Let's start with the brochureware site, DunderMifflin.com. Like all such sites, DunderMifflin.com is frighteningly boring and insular. take a look:



The copy is splendidly mediocre. It reminds me of that Friends episode where Kathleen Turner played Chandler's father, who was a female impersonator. A woman playing a man playing a woman. The copywriter who wrote DunderMifflin.com must be a good writer to write mediocre copy so well. If that makes any sense.

Browse around this site and see how viral is done. It's not at all over the top -- rather it is executed just as a second rate paper distributor would create a website.

Now let's move on to DunderMifflinInfinity.com,the Intranet for Dunder Mifflin. If you don't watch the show, Infinity was the brainchild of one of the main characters on the show. For this Office marketing site, Infinity serves as a rich and vibrant fan community where people can do the same sorts of things they might on a MySpace, but with a distinctly Officey flavor. The site also offers weekly tasks, like a contest to define the best company mission statement.

So, why join a narrow community like this? Well, because The Office is the Office, perhaps the best slice of TV available today. Who wouldn't want to talk to others who know the magic of Schrute Bucks?

This is a passionate community. Check out some of these UGC videos in support of new "branches of Dunder Mifflin:











Now that's community!

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Personal Life Media: One Dishy Mix of Lifestyle Content

If you have spent at least 4 seconds in digital marketing, you've heard of Susan Bratton, digiguru and creator of the Dishy Mix podcast that explores the professional and personal lives of digital industry leaders.

4 seconds in business has likely also made you familiar with Tim Bratton, a serial entrepreneur and the other half of the Bratton marriage.


Susan Bratton, Personal Life Media CEO


Tim Bratton, Personal Life Media COO

And their latest project, Personal Life Media, is a compelling new site designed to collect, distribute, and present the best lifestyle content in a single inviting portal.

At its core are a series of lifestyle channels, filled with podcasts, broadcast content, blogs, and other forms of content selected for their quality and engagement value. Here's the channel list:

Arts
Business
Education
Health
Music
Religion and Spirituality
Science and Medicine
Society and Culture
Technology
Visual Arts
Sexuality
Fitness and Nutrition

Additionally, the Personal Life Media site also offers a blog network with leading properties personal improvement. They list their blog selection criteria as the following:

Blogs on this network share common philosophies:

Our bloggers are professionals and authorities in their area of expertise
Our bloggers never write about products or services for money, they write out of passion and interest
Our bloggers focus on truth, authenticity and pushing the edge of what’s known and they share that knowledge
Our content is not dumbed-down for main stream media consumption
If we make a mistake, we correct it
Our blogs are good companions to our audio programming. If you like the show, try the blog and vice versa.

While most blog networks are tech, politics or gossip-based, we are focused on transformative content for your personal life – a refreshing change!

Visit for personal improvement, but also check out the marketing opportunities they offer. In addition to IAB banners on blogs and other web pages, you can also sponsor podcast and insert audio ads. You can buy it all CPM or CPC.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Route You: Turning Point to Point Directions Into a Journey

Now here's an idea I would never have thought of in a million years, but which I immediately took a shine to.

Route You is a service that helps people NOT behind the wheel get from place to place on paths that meet their goals, interests, and criteria. So, say you are in SF, and want to get from California and Market to Coit Tower. If you go via a route defined by Mapquest or similar, it'll take you on a path that works for a car, but not for a pedestrian. Or a bicyclist. And it'll take you on a path without regard for aesthetics or your interests. Driving sites emphasize bigger roads and fewer traffic lights, not the safest or most agreeable pedestrian route.

Route You asks your mode of transportation and then your interests. Then it defines a recommended path and lets you experience it in advance. When you're satisfied, you can print a copy or put it on your GPS phone or PDA.

Here's some copy on their site:

RouteYou.com website and RouteYou web-components

The RouteYou.com website offers the end-users a selection of routes and a set of tools such as the RouteViewer to explore the routes in an interactive way. The user can print routes or download routes in a digital (navigation) format.









The user can also create routes using the RoutePlanner, and share the route via groups.

The RouteYou.com website offers a platform for the user of out-door routes, for content providers, application builders, organisations, advertisers,...

And here's their elevator pitch from the Crunch:



SO, guess what? This is a Euro concept. While there are a small number of pedestrian friendly cities in the US, it's not gonna be much value in a Houston or a Phoenix. But that's OK. This is a European company. I'd say that this is a concept with legs, but it's too poor a pun. Instead I will say that I bet tourist bureaus and local advertisers will be on this like bees on honey.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Palinizer: What's Your Palin Baby Name?

It's well known tha the Palins select rather unique names for their young ones. Step on over to the Poli tsk Tsk Tsk blog and find out what you would have been caled if you had been a Palin.

Here's my result:

James David , if you were born to Sarah Palin, your name would be:

Rankle Hiway Palin

LVIMA Mobile Madness: Shawn Never Quits!

As you know I love the LVIMA group, the Las Vegas Interactive Marketing Association. Chairman Shawn Rorick is always making things happen there. And today is the day for their widely anticipated Mobile Madness event. Here's the promo video.



Here's the tasty sell copy:

Mobile Marketing has become the biggest buzz phrase since "social media". Merely the mention of it at any given marketing meeting causes everyone's ears to perk up as most are still looking for the perfect strategy that compliments their business. Asia is years ahead of us in their usage of mobile technologies, but given the network pricing wars and the exponential speed of technological adaptation, it will only be a few "bars" before cell phones are the equivalent of laptop computers.

But how do we prepare for this approaching new world? What steps can we take for our business now that will secure our marketing presence for the future? Plus, how do we track conversions to satisfy the DR demands placed on us?

Fear not, the answers await you at "Mobile Madness"! We have a fantastic speaker lineup which will make this a VERY interesting evening full of inspiration and information that may just change the way you budget for next year!

You will learn:

Effective strategies for mobile acquisition

How Proximity Marketing and BlueCasting works

What to look for in a platform service provider

How to advertise effectively within mobile networks

How mobile marketing can fit your marketing mix

WAP sites
... and much Much more!

Join us for this special event with the standard array of cocktails and appetizers to make it complete. With an exciting venue and the hottest topic of 2008, how can you go wrong?

NOTE: Contrary to our standard dates, this is a Monday event on October 6th. The KA theater is located inside MGM Grand. With most of us in the middle of our 2009 budgeting, chances are this evening out is just what the doctor ordered!

The speakers are quite intriguing as well:

David Wachs, Founder and President, CellIt
Eric Eller, SVP, Millenial Marketing
Michel Perhaes, Assistant VP of Advertising, MGM Grand
Tony Ashfari, Founder and CEO of BlueLink

Get yer arse there if you are in the land of Blackjack on Monday! Head over to LVIMA.com for maps and details. And tell Shawn I sent ya!

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

First 30 Days: Change is Good, For People, And For Business

What holds us back from achieving more? Of getting the lives we want? OK, OK, before I go all Oprah on you...before I put a big meaty arm around you as you bare your soul, lemme get back to First 30 Days, a website about empowering people to make changes in their lives, and then helping them take their first steps.

I had the good fortune of meeting First 30 Days Founder and CEO Ariane de Bonvoisin, and was impressed by her spirit, and her vision.


Ariane De Bonvoisin, Founder and CEO

And what changes, pray tell, can First 30 Days help you make? Well, the list is pretty darned substantial.

• Adopting a Child
• Adopting a Pet
• Being a New Dad
• Being a New Mom
• Being Happier
• Being Pregnant
• Breaking Up
• Buying a Home
• Buying a New Car
• Changing Your Look
• Creating a Green Home
• Dating Online
• Dealing With Depression
• Finding Romance
• Finding Your Dream Job
• Frugal Living
• Getting Divorced
• Getting in Shape
• Getting Organized
• Going Green
• Graduating College
• Grieving
• Having More Money
• Improving Relationships
• Improving Your Sex Life
• Living Healthier
• Living More Spiritually
• Losing Weight
• Losing Your Job
• Making Change Easier
• Managing Breast Cancer
• Managing Diabetes
• Managing Heart Disease
• Managing High Blood Pressure
• Managing Prostate Cancer
• Mastering the iPod
• Meditating
• Moving to a New City
• Planning a Wedding
• Planning for Retirement
• Proposing
• Pursuing Your Dreams
• Quitting Smoking
• Reducing Debt
• Remodeling Your Kitchen
• Saving for College
• Selling a Home
• Smart Investing
• Starting a New Business
• Starting a New Job
• Starting College
• Stepparenting
• Surviving a Natural Disaster
• Switching to a Mac
• Understanding HDTV
• Using Facebook
• Windows Vista
• Working After Baby
• Your Empty Nest
• Your Health Diagnosis

There, then, I am sure there's something in there that would help you Remember Your Spirit - oh, wait, sorry, channeling Ms. Winfrey again. I am sure there's something in the list that would be appealing to you.

In short, there's is a mission they can feel very good about. Here's how they describe themselves in their About Us:

Our mission is to inspire you to find the positive in any change — the ones you've always dreamed of making and the ones life has given you. We want to be the first place you think of in times of change, a place full of optimism and a place where you feel informed and inspired.

And so...how does First 30 Days help you make changes?

Sign up for a 30 day tips email program
Meet and talk to others and share advice, inspiration and stories.
Read expert interviews
Blog, or read blogs
Listen to the weekly about change podcast
Get recommendations for books, vids, websites that can provide additional advice

Sounds nice 'n sticky to me.

Of course, the beauty of the model is that they can do well by doing good. There are hundreds of product and service categories that grow when people make changes in their lives. So many companies are constantly scanning the web for audiences that are either making changes or are about to. Just look over that list above again and you will immediately see the possibilities.

Like any content property, the traffic is a little volatile in the first months. First 30 Days has gotten some choice TV, online media, and blog coverage. According to Quantcast, it appears as if they have about 200,000 regular users. As we near the holidays and then the magical day -- January 1, 2009 when we all try to make some sort of change or indeed bundle of changes -- I expect we'll see some significant growth.

Check it out -- as a marketing venue and as a place to get the kickstart you need to make the change you want in your life.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

New Sony Touch Screen PRS-700 EReader: Kindle with Keyless Entry!

I like my Kindle. A lot. But the keyboard is nothing short of horrid. It is reminiscent of Commodore 64. I'd imagine that the upcoming Kindle 2.0 will offer a major improvement.

But Sony's upping its game with its new eReader, now on sale in parts of Europe, and a-comin' to the US ASAP.

Sony readers didn't set the world on fire, but did OK. And one of the problems they see, according to this article on Ars Technica, was that people don't like the IDEA of ereaders very much, but tend to like them when they get hands on experience. Ars Technica reports:

To overcome this, Sony's trained 1,000 people that will be set loose in some of the 3,000 retail outlets that carry the Reader in an effort to expose more of the public to it. The company is also launching a program that will see it donate Readers and eBooks to schools.

...

The key feature is its touch-sensitive screen, which allows users to manipulate the device with either the included stylus or a finger. Reader users can now directly select text, type on an onscreen keyboard, and page through content with gestures, swiping pages to turn them or shuffling rapidly through a book with a swipe-and-hold gesture. The E Ink screen seemed more responsive than the Kindle's, which makes the responses to gestures seem fairly direct. The onscreen typing, however, still feels a bit sluggish.

John Timmer of Ars Technica later stated:

In my brief hands-on time with it, the Reader's hardware seemed superior to the Kindle in nearly every way, but it still lacks some of the Kindle's killer features: brand recognition, a huge content library, and always-on wireless. Haber made it clear that all of these are in the works. Sony plans to have 100,000 titles available by the holidays (although that's still just about half the Kindle's content) and its trained sales teams should be in the stores by then. Wireless will come, too, but Haber said, "it needs to be on an open foundation" before Sony will release it.

I think the crux of the challenge for Sony is in their brand versus Amazon. Sony=electronics, Amazon=books. And a prospective ebook buyer wants assurance that a reader will offer a good bookish experience.

But that doesn't mean I won't be looking it over...

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

SpinSpotter: Referree The Next Cable News Food Fight

Gosh, I usually induce these posts. Make a case and then show the start-up solution. But today I am going to let three vids do the induction:







News flash. None of that is reporting. It's opinion, often supported by lies and half truths. Now, here is reporting:



We can't bring back Murrow and Huntley and Stahl and Cronkite, but perhaps we can all work together to make reporters accountable for the content of their stories -- make them more careful about the half truths they accept as fact, the focus on the CW, and and and.

And that, my friends, is what SpinSpotter is about. Here's how they introduce themselves to web site visitors:

Welcome to SpinSpotter

All the news that's fit to de-spin.

Spin doesn't belong in the news. It's like putting motor oil in the mojito. We have tremendous respect for journalists, but who would argue that the media circus isn't out of control? A full 66% of Americans think the press is one-sided. Now there's a website and software tool that exposes news spin and bias, misuse of sources, and suspect factual support. At SpinSpotter, you'll experience the news in a profound new way. Yes, the truth is back in town.

They also have a nice introductory video that effectively makes their case.



As an info junkie, I am pleased as punch that this is occurring. I was at a dinner party recently, and we were lamenting the silicon-boob-for-grey-matter trade that the mainstream media have made. One of my best friends, he a Republican, is just as aware of lefty spin as I am of right wing claptrap.

We wondered what it would take to create a media company that REPORTED. That sent someone to Darfur instead of having two morons from Washington propaganda tanks throw metaphorical mashed potatoes across the desk from each other. We calculated the price at about a billion to create the sort of media company we dream about.

And then I saw Spin Spotter, and realized that with this idea the need for a new media company is no longer there. Small d democratic accountability can make the companies we have actually do their jobs.

And for that I thank the team that has made it. Get your butt over there to check it out. And, how about contributing to the community. Choose your flava of spin to debunk, blue or red.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Is Lehman Brothers Collapse Homoerotic?

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.

Ads of the World: Messages From The World's Sponsors

You simply have to check out AdsoftheWorld.com if you have an iota's worth of interest in ads. Have to. There are positively magnificent examples of mostly nondigital ads from dozens of countries and regions. On a planet of 6 Billion, it's perhaps not surprising that there are astounding examples of creativity there. But it'll rekindle your love for the biz in a major way. Here are a couple of examples:





Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.