MarketingShift: Daily Crash Course in Marketing Technology & Brand Management

Shark Week Viral Marketing Frenzy Decrypted

Jason Dowdell — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:01:00 -0400

As I was pulling out of the driveway this morning I nearly hit the FedEx delivery guy because I didn't see him as I was backing up. He certainly saw me and waved me on and pointed to my house, because he had a delivery to make. I thought it was odd since I know we haven't purchased anything online lately since we have started our new budget but I headed down the road anyway. About 2 minutes later I get a call from Shannon telling me that I got a next day air delivery from FedEx. I asked her if it was a book, I get a lot of books sent to me, but she said it wasn't and that it was in a large box. So I told her I'd turn around and be there in two minutes. I arrived at the house and picked up the box and was surprised at how large it was, 12 inches tall by 12 inches wide. I assumed it was a viral marketing pitch by this agency named "Campfire Media" but I had no idea what it was. The from address on the shipping label was:

FrenziedWaters.com
Campfire Media
62 White Street, 3E
New York, NY 10013

This certainly wasn't an address (physical or website) that I recognized so I was even more intrigued. I was especially intrigued since the package said "fragile, handle with care" which is not the norm for most viral marketing deliveries. What was in the box? Interestingly enough there was a note (printed but with a handwriting font) and a sea glass jar (complete with faux rusted lid and glass that had been frosted by months at sea and it contained different items. Unlike some other people, the kind folks at the Discovery Channel responsible for Shark Week, did not send me an obituary like they did JoBlo. But he and I did get all of the other items. Here's an inventory of what the rusted sea glass bottle contained:

1 rusted boat key with a keychain for Discovery Marina SW09 (get it? as in Discovery Channel Shark Week 2009?)
One pair of baggies (swim trunks for the non surfers out there) with the left leg tattered and torn and bloodstained (obviously from a shark attack)
A faux Great White shark tooth attached to a copper keychain with the www.frenziedwaters.com url stamped into it (I'm not sure where they had these made but this keychain is top notch, the copper is even oxidized (good job folks)
A paper warning sign that reads "BEACH CLOSED SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK, FOR DETAILED CLOSURE INFO, CALL: (386) 675-0342 (the 386 area code includes the location in Florida where we see the largest number of shark attacks in the world, so the use of a 386 area code on this sign was quite nice. If you call this number you'll get a well produced recording about shark attacks, I highly recommend calling 1 (386) 675-0342 and hearing the message.
A note on frenziedwaters.com stationery in a hand written font. I included the note on the stationery below.

Hand Written (not really) Note From frenziedwaters.com SW09

This jar holds a story -, the story of a single tragic accident, the details of which need to be unlocked. Dive in, investigate the evidence, and uncover what lies beneath the surface at frenziedwaters.com, part of an online experience leading into Discovery Channel's Shark Week.

Now that we've gotten through all of the tedium of Shark Week 09's viral marketing campaign, I'll put up a follow up entry in an hour or so that breaks down the campaign and what works and doesn't work and how well we should expect this to perform over the next 7 days.

Geocaching For Beginners: Tips, Terminology and Personal Examples

Jason Dowdell — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:11:00 -0400

Shannon and I have recently implemented a Dave Ramsey-esque budget in our household in an effort to decrease our expenses and get control of our spending. So far it's worked incredibly well, thanks to my amazingly organized and brilliant wife. However, there has been one drawback to the new budget, there simply isn't enough money for us to have our usual date night activities which include going to the movies, dinner and paying a babysitter. So we've been looking for some decent activities that we can do together that won't break our budget. A couple of weeks ago we talked about trying out Geocaching. Geocaching is basically a worldwide scavenger hunt where members of geocaching.com plant "caches" in different locations and supply hints and GPS coordinates to the location where the loot is hidden. It costs nothing to join the site or to play and there are nearly 1,000,000 geocaches hidden worldwide so chances are there is some cache to be found in your area. The only trick is that you need a GPS device, or a phone with GPS or Google Maps on it in order to find the cache. Since Shannon bought me a Garmin etrex Venture HC GPSr (that's GPS Receiver in geocache-ese) for Father's day, I was all set. So yesterday, the Dowdells went out on a geocache mission as a family to try the activity out. Yes, the entire family came along. Here's the breakdown in case you're curious. Players

Jason aka Dad (age 35)
Shannon aka Mama (age: younger than Jason)
Piper: Age 6
Finley: Age 4
Jonas: Age 14 mos.

Equipment

Vehicle: Land Rover LR3
GPS Device: Garmin eTrex Venture HC
Writing Instrument: Ink Pen
Phone: iPhone 3G (not the 3Gs)

Results of our 1st Geocaching Low Cost Family Activity

Immediately Shannon and I felt like we should've gone on our first geocaching adventure alone (without children) because we felt dumb. The first two places we went just didn't work out, either the cache was no longer there or we just couldn't find it because we'd never done this before. We found that for the best results of a specific hunt we really needed to look up the specific Geocache before we went to the site so we could read the comments by other cachers and see when the cache was last found. On our first mission the cache had just been replaced by the cache creator that morning but we still couldn't find it. It was supposedly hidden on, near or around a swingset that we frequent often because the park is at the end of our neighborhood but still, no luck. Even though we didn't find the first or second geocaches our family was still in high spirits and having a great time. The kids thought it was awesome that we were going on a real live treasure hunt and the only cost was the price of gas. For our next trek we decided to go to a cache we found on the site that was at a cemetary. The title was "Cache in Peace" and the natural allure of a cemetary and our children meant this was a must do cache. Plus the cache creator said you didn't have to go on private property to get the cache and that meant that we really didn't need to go inside the cemetary (but the kids couldn't resist). So we went to the coordinates and didn't find it but then I thought, hmm, I bet these bricks move... (there was a brick wall that lined the cemetary) and sure enough, there was a tiny little duct tape package with a log (paper with all those that found the cache's signature on it) as well as a folded up crisp $1 bill. We decided to SL TN (sign the log and took nothing) since the cache we had would not fit inside the small container. That was when things really got exciting, we had found our first "treasure" and now the kids were excited. We made a couple of other treks, one that required the unnecessary use of the 4 wheel drive and height adjustable suspension on our Land Rover and was a great find. I'm sure that I'm not suppose to talk about what objects are in each cache capsule so I'll refrain from being a spoiler. But I can tell you that when Shannon and I go on a date this week we will be geocaching because it's so much fun. If you live in an area with a lot of parks or bike paths then I'm sure you could go to most of the caches without even using a car. Some of the caches around our area are only accessible by water which means I'll have to find a way to get our family of 5 on one of my longboard surfboards to get the cache :) Biggest Point of Frustration The only thing that was more frustrating than not being able to find a cache was not understanding the acronyms that commenters put on the geocache descriptions in the log entries. Some were fairly straightforward to understand and others just looked like gobblygook. So between unfamiliar acronyms and words I'd never heard of before I did get a bit frustrated. To keep you from being frustrated like me, I have compiled a list of the most important words and acronymns used in geocaching so you can have the maximum amount of fun.

Acronyms / Short Codes / TXT Codes / Shorthand

TFTH: "Thanks For The Hide:" When a hide was extra special people will leave this in the log book. TFTC: "Thanks For The Cache" I guess the only difference between this and TFTH is that the cache must be good. TNLN: "Took Nothing Left Nothing" Usually it seems like noncommital geocachers use this term to prove they found the cache but didn't want to take anything out of it, possibly because they had nothing to replace it with. It is proper geocaching etiquette to always "SL" aka Sign Log so you can show others that you were there. SL: "Signed Log" Every geocache item should have a paper log near it and geocachers will sign the log to show they found it. They typically sign their geocaching.com username instead of their real name which further frustrates the muggles (see below) ;). BYOP: "Bring Your Own Pencil" (but if you sign a log you should use a water-insoluble ink pen since it won't be erased as easily - learned that in 10th grade chemistry with Dr. McCord) CITO: "Cash In Trash Out" (on your way to find the geocache, pick up trash and clean up the area) DNF: "Did Not Find" Shannon and I did not find 2 of the 5 caches we seeked yesterday. D/T: "Difficulty and Terrain" Scales of 1 to 5 for each, one being the easiest. FTF: "First To Find" First geocacher that finds the cache can post this in their log and get special bragging rights, I guess. GPSr: "Global Position Satellite Receiver" Slang for a GPS device although I think adding the "r" to the end of it was not the best choice since many items ending in r are vowels. GZ: "Ground Zero" The location where the cache is hidden, does not necessarily mean on the ground since many caches are hidden above or below the ground. SWAG: "Stuff We All Get" This is not a Silly Wild A$$ Guess but is the cache items at a specific location find.

Geocaching Words / Terms and Definitions

Muggle: A non-geocacher. Caches are often hidden at public parks and public places so many times there will be people there hanging out or going about their normal business and in Geocaching terminology they are referred to as Muggles. It's a Harry Potter term that means un-magical people. Spoiler: A hint that tells of the exact location of a cache before someone finds it. Same as a movie spoiler but not the same as a car spoiler which is used to create downforce on the front end or rear end of the car in order to stabilize it at high speeds. Geocaching is so geeky I felt it important to put in some gear head terminology just to preserve my manhood. You can read all of the terms used in geocaching in their glossary but they're not very well organized and kind of out of context if you've never played the game before.

Geocaching Tips For Newbies

Here are some tips for those of you that have never tried geocaching before, these are a must if you want to have a good time and find the most caches possible.

Do not rely 100% on the coordinates given to you in the cache description. If you get within 2 - 3 feet of the exact coordinates then it is time to start looking around. Many factors could cause the location to be slightly off so just use 0 - 3 feet as an approximation.
Don't expect the cache to be hidden in plain site, expert cachers are known for hiding something using the native camoflage of the environment. Look up, down, below the ground, at eye level. Tip: if there is a tree 2 - 3 ft within the coordinates then chances are the object is tied up in the tree with a rope ;)
If the geocache location is on or near a business or private property then be sure to not let your kids run all around the place because it could be very dangerous.
Read the hints in the description very carefully, often there are clues contained in the description that don't mean anything until you actually get to the location. So read and then reread once you get to the spot.
Take a phone with you that has a browswer in it so you can look up the description of each geocache location before you get to it. Otherwise you won't have all of the hints with you and will get quite frustrated. An alternative to this would be to print out all of the cache spots you want to visit before you leave the house but that requires a printer and paper.
Remember that it's just a game and don't get too annoyed by all of the geek speek of stuff like muggles (can't believe I'm playing a game that uses terminology from Harry Potter, seriously). The game can be incredibly fun so don't let your pride get in the way of having a good time.

Funniest Jobs on Craigslist

Jason Dowdell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:48:00 -0400

Over the past few weeks Shannon has been perusing the jobs section of Space Coast Craigslist in an effort to help out a family member in need of a full time gig. During the process of finding local jobs she's uncovered some real unique positions. Since it's a holiday weekend I thought I might share some of them to help you get the weekend kicked off right. Note: The following jobs are actual jobs that were posted on the Space Coast Craigslist jobs board, no joke. From the "TV Video Radio Jobs" Section Position: Film Personalities for Social Art Movie Job Description:

...men and women to participate in a filmed interview regarding pornography and the state of today's society. This is not a porn, there will be absolutely no nudity or otherwise offensive content or behavior. Applicants should watch pornography...

Pay: $150/session Hmmm, it's not a porno but you're required to watch pornos, interesting. From the "TV Video Radio Jobs" Section Position: Female Model Job Description:

Internationally awarded photographer still needs some female models for artistic nudes. Experience is not necessary but helpful. Nice body and face is an asset. Great body and face is better, but not necessary.

Sounds like a Hooters lawsuit just waiting to happen ;) From the "Web / Info Design" Section Position: WEB DEVELOPMENT, DYNAMIC CONTENT, Partnership needed! Job Description:

...looking for a young, talented, dedicated web programers with big goals...Serious college students and recent grads welcome to apply, but you must have a website displaying your work and skill-sets...

Compensation: Partnership, with goals of becoming a corporation No joke, this guy (Leo Cortes) is looking for web designers and developers to work for free and maybe he'll incorporate the entity and then he might pay these developers. Where do I sign up? From the "Web / Info Design" Section Position: Jr. Web designers Job Description: Posted in response to a job posting for junior web designers.

What is it with people who think Photoshop MASTERY and HTML/CSS MASTERY equals low pay?. If you're looking for a student hire or really a junior web designer, which really isn't even a position, then don't ask for mastery of photoshop and html/css. Do you know how long it has taken me and other pros to become photoshop masters? 40-45K isn't bad for a student hire or beginning web person full time, but it doesn't pay for a master. C'mon, stop trying to pay nothing for something, this isn't ebay.

I thought this was a job board, not a job reply board. Best Craigslist Job Titles Here are some of the best job titles I came across, seriously, I can't believe people post this stuff.

LOW BUDGET, LARGE PROJECT (I'll pay you less than anyone else, guaranteed!)
Low Budget Adult websites needed (as opposed to high class adult web sites)
Web Log "Blog" - Wordpress Design Project (not to be confused with we blog)
Part Time (Seriously this is the title, just Part Time, nothing more.)
respond to responds (respond now)
Handyman Technician SCAM (scam is an acronym, and a bad one at that)
E-Cig Account Executives (virtual non-smokers need not apply)
Young, aggressive salespeople needed (the meaner the better)
Self-Generating Sales Pro Needed (translation: if you don't make any sales then be your own customer)
new company (but same old job)
NAIL TECH For a day (as opposed to Doctor for a day)

And the list goes on. No wonder monster.com is still in business. Have a happy 4th of July everyone.

Downsizing, The Economy and 4ft x 8ft Whiteboards

Jason Dowdell — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:32:00 -0400

From the title you've probably already figured out how downsizing is related to the economy but are unable to tie 4ft x 8ft whiteboards into the picture. It's quote simple really but first I need to give you a bit of background. During the past two years I have gone from two f/t employees, to 15 employees and now down to one employee. People keep saying that the economy is to blame and that good people are being hurt by the economy and they point the finger everywhere except for where it deserves to be pointed... righ at me. Yes, I'm the one to blame for the demise of Labitat as an seo consulting company and I take full responsibility for that. Over the next couple of months I'll share some insight with you about how I broke business 101 rules left and right and how I'm paying the price for it now so you can avoid those same pitfalls. Now getting back to the title, first off I've downsized Labitat drastically. Like I said earlier, it has gone from 15 employees to just me and even I'm not really a full time employee (since I haven't received a paycheck in close to 9 months). Secondly, the economy has nothing to do with an seo consultancy failing. SEO is the boom business in every down economy. I started my last seo firm (Global Promoter) back in 2002 when the economy was still in the dot-Bomb slump and it went gangbusters. Everyone is looking for the most cost-effective way to get new customers through their doors and seo is the cheapest, most-effective way of doing so behind word of mouth referrals. Now the 4 foot by 8 foot whiteboards. That's where the real story of the economy comes into play. 4ft x 8ft Whiteboards Represent Real World Businesses This week I have been liquidating all of the crap that's been lying around the office. From ethernet cables to mice and from desks to adding machines, I'm getting rid of all of it. During the process I've tried to get rid of the 4 ceramic whiteboards I have in the conference room since I'll be moving out of the office at the end of July. Everyone loves the whiteboards but they all answer me with the same response... The whiteboards are great and we'd love to buy one but we don't have room. We're working from our home and the room we're working in doesn't have enough room for a full size whiteboard. Did you see that or did you miss the connection. Small business owners today are far more likely to start or run their business out of their house than ever before. Even me, my company has been around for nearly 4 years and I'm headed home to work from the sewing slash spare bedroom slash office at my house. I'm cutting costs left and right and don't want to go bankrupt because I owe people money and I'm going to make good on my debts and that means getting rid of absolutely everything that doesn't help me generate revenue. The only reason I got an office in the first place was to accomodate all of the out of towners and employees that I had to hire to keep up with the workload that we no longer have. So if you want a stock tip, don't buy stock in any company who's primary business is whiteboards. There are far more small businesses than there are large businesses in the world and right now they don't have the room for 4ft by 8ft whiteboards.

For My Final Entry: My Top 10 Favorite Stories for Marketingshift.com

Matt O'Hern — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:12:00 -0400

For the past year, I've had the privlidge of writing and editing content for this blog, but career opportunities have led me down a new path. Before I click the "publish" button one final time, the nostalgic part of my personality compells me to list my top 10 favorite stories for MarketingShift, starting with No. 10.

10. Federal Government vs. Google Expansion Efforts

Google's growth and dominance could lead them down a path similar to the one Microsoft took before it faced the wrath of the U.S. Department of Justice.

9.Wall Street Journal Economic Map compared to Thomas P.M. Barnett's Map.

Amazing parallels were found between the global economic recession and a map created by Thomas P.M. Barnett, Barnett's map illustrates his viewpoint on globalization, which claims the world is divided by the functioning core and the “non-integrated gap". The "core" consists of economically advanced or growing countries that are linked to the global economy and bound to the rule-sets of international trade.which outlines the a New York Times best selling author and military strategist.

8.Bulletproof Clothing Becomes Mexico's New Fashion

This clothing trend turned out to be a virtual neccesity during the drug wars in early 2009.

7. GM Segway Puma vs. Dark Knight's Batpod.

The unveiling of the GM Segway Puma was just begging for a satire piece, and I couldn't resist the urge to mock the dorkiest looking vehicle I've ever seen.

6.McDonalds CMO Mary Dillon: We're Still Learning Social Networks

McDonalds CMO and Global Promotions Officer, Mary Dillon, was courteous enough to designate an hour for a bloggers-only press conference at Mplanet2009. Dillon was very honest and open about McDonalds approach to social networking.

5.Facebook and Myspace Ads: Do you click them?

71% of readers responded "Never", the next-highest vote was "Rarely", at 17%, and no readers responded "daily."

4.Gatorade: What is G? Commercial.

Gatorade's ambigous and mysterious commercial during the BCS series drove viewers to Google "What is G? As a result, Gatorade created a remarkable online buzz for the new logo and new line of flavors.

3.iTunes Gift Card Prize Giveaway - Show Us Your Griswolds

I was blown away by some of the submissions we received from around the nation, but the best house was in our own county. Jenna Crawford discovered this Shrine to Christmas decorations in Viera, Florida.

2.Pepsi 8 Pack Outrage

The incredible amount of reader mail inspired the creation of www.bringbackthe12pack.com. Six months later, the wish was granted.

1.Joe Babiasz, Boycott Alabamanow.com vs. Richard Shelby

No story stirred up more controversy than my post describing Joe Babiasz's site against the state known as the "Heart of Dixie."

To my loyal readers, I appreciate you tagging along. It's been a great ride, full of twists, turns and other surprises along the way. In the words of one of my favorite humor columnists- Lewis Grizzard, "It wasn't always easy, but I sure had fun."

So long, everybody!

-Matt

Why Does My Dunkin Donuts Flatbread Sandwhich Looks Like Origami?

Matt O'Hern — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:08:00 -0400

This morning, I headed to Dunkin Donuts and decided to try something new for a change. Tired of the same old bagels and donuts, I opted for one of the eggwhite flatbreads that are featured in many of the recent "America Runs on Dunkin" ads.

As I arranged my breakfast, I put the coffee down and proceeded to unwrap the sandwich that smelled so good, only to discover a flatbread sandwhich with flatbread but a funny shape. Take a look at this pic I snapped with my iPhone.If America's running on Dunkin, we're in trouble! Do you have any pics of a terribly shaped meal from a fast food joint? If so, please share it with us.

I.T. Garage Sale - Monitors, Firewalls, Phones & Furniture

Matt O'Hern — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:12:00 -0400

I'm selling everything that's in my office so I can work from home again. Everything I have I've purchased new or have had made custom for my company (Labitat)

Here is a partial list of items I'm selling. I'll have the doors open all week from 8am - 5pm so feel free to stop by and look over what I have because I'm selling all of it. Everyone that comes into my office falls in love with it. I designed the office for efficiency and with minimilastic style that reflects my love for surfing, especially vintage longboards. I designed every surface from the desks to the kitchen area to mimic the look of an old balsa wood longboard with mahogany inlay. The floors are light bamboo with sand colored walls and white square trim.

IT Equipment / Computer Stuff
1 - Viewsonic 22" Monitor
2 - Viewsonic 19" Widescreen Monitors
6 - Packet 8 Phones with modems
1 - 2nd Generation iPod (80 gig)
2 - Netgear VPN firewall routers
2 - Power Tower 16 outlet 30 amp server cabinet distribution units (metered surge protection and power distribution units).
3 - APC 14 outlet 25 amp switched PDU's
3 - 8 outlet 20 amp PDU's
3 - Shelves for a standard server rack/cabinet
Tons of computer and server power cables (both single and y-cords) Y-Cords are for servers with two power supplies.
Box of ethernet cable
Bunches of premade ethernet cables
Fiber optic cables
Ethernet cable tester
Cisco 1700 series DSN router
Several keyboard/mice combos
Furniture and Fixtures
1 - Mahogany Table with 1" maple inlay 66" x 66" (hand built by local Master Craftsman Josh Rosenburg)
4 - 4ft x 8ft Ceramic Whiteboards (can't be ruined by cleaning solutions)
3 - Partner's desks with mahogany inlay (also custom built by local Master Craftsman Josh Rosenburg)
1 - L-Shaped receptionist desk
2 - Wood dining room tables (we pile stuff on them) ;)
1 - Chocolate upholstered chair from West Elm (this chair)
1 - Chocolate upholstered couch from West Elm (here's a pic)
4 - Rick Piper Pieces of art including 2 framed 62" pieces. The frames alone were $400+.
8 - executive office chairs

Extra Credit My surfboards, Herman Miller Embody Chair and my Motorized Desk
So if you've read this far then you probably know I'm a geek that loves to surf and that my office is a direct reflection of me. That being the case, here are a couple of my prize possessions that I'd also be willing to sell, but only to those of you that tell me the secret word. The secret word is "labitant".
1 - Brand new, never ridden, milk-white resin tinted, Robert August Dodger Kremel Model longboard signed by Robert August. 9'4" tri-fin. One main fin with 2 stabilizers. I bought this new from Cape Surf about 2 years ago.
1 - Mayo 9'0" singlefin longboard (bought off of my pal Andrew a few months back)
1 - 6'4" Hobie tri fin with polished glass finish. Bought this board new at Ron Jons back in the early 90's. Has never had a major ding.
1 - 5'11" March 21 old school twin fin with green resin tint finish (bought new from Roy at Watersports World in Cocoa Beach)
1 - 6'5" Lightwave stingfish. I call it the fat boy board cause it floats me pretty well (bought it used from lightwave a few years back)
1 - 6'3" Rusty thruster. Bought this new from Cape Surf a couple years ago and took it to Nicaragua and Costa Rica last December. Great board but I'm too fat, lazy and broke to try to ride her any more.
1 - custom made bamboo surfboard rack that currently holds my quiver in my office. I also had this made specifically for me and my office and it too must go.
1 - Herman Miller Embody chair (this is the latest chair by Herman Miller and is suppose to replace the Aeron in popularity).
1 - Height Adjustable desk (20" - 46") powered by hidden electric motors and has 3 memory settings. Great for when you are walking around talking on the phone and come back to your desk. You don't have to sit down and lose your train of thought since the desk and monitors are at eye level.

so much more stuff you'll just have to come by and see it because it will take too much time to list it.

The address is
Labitat Inc.
350 Tangerine Ave. Suite 5
Merritt Island, Florida 32953

We're in the Grove Street area of Merritt Island just off of North Tropical Trail. We're in the green building and do not have any signs at the street or on the windows to our office. Ask for Wingnut when you get here. If you have any questions you can call Wingnut directly at 321-459-5591.

UPDATE: Freeverse, Epic Tilt, Ooyala & other Tech Companies to Watch

Matt O'Hern — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:21:00 -0400

It's hard to believe that we're more than halfway through the year, but time flies. Now that we have six months to reflect on, it's time to take a look at the tech companies I listed as the ones to watch in 2009.
Freeverse: Developed several top-selling iPhone Apps, including Flick Fishing, Flick Bowling and Wingnuts Moto Chaser. Flick Fishing became the first paid app to hit 1 million downloads on App Store.

Epic Tilt: The company that brought you ESPN Cameraman, Pussycatt Dolls Party Pack and Be Like Lil Wayne app recently added Spelling Bee to its ESPN Arcade lineup. The next game due for release, TapStar, is a "tap-style" version of Rockband of Guitar Hero, with major bands included in the game.

Lexcycle: Was purchased by Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). Lexcycle created the Stanza App, which includes hundreds of classic literary works for free reading.

China Mobile Limited: (NYSE:CHL)China's primary mobile service launched a 3G network in March and its subscriber base, 488.1 million ,for the enhanced network, is double the size of 2G.

Microsoft: (NASDAQ:MSFT)Following the failed Jerry Seinfeld & Bill Gates campaign to pump up Mojave sales, MSN Live Search became Bing, a "decision engine", to simplify your search. Some analysts believe it could pose a threat to Google, but the jury is still out.

Ooyala: Founded by three former Google leaders, Ooyala has over 5,000 publishers using its syndication platform - Backlot. Ooyala's latest launch was version 2.0 of the Ooyala player, codenamed Swift, featuring:live streaming playback, support for many new ad networks, including VAST-based ad systems.

Sony: (NYSE:SE) Disappointing PS3 sales and exploding PC batteries and a layoff of 16,000 workers combined to scare investors from the tech giant. Times are still tough and Sony has lowered its expectations for the quarter.

Nintendo: The recession-proof Wii kept the video game giant on solid ground through the first few months of the year, but video game sales are down across the board, which could spell trouble in the near future.

Can TravelZoo Inc.(NASDAQ:TZOO) Eclipse Expedia & Obritz?

Matt O'Hern — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0400

Tech investors on Wall Street will be watching TravelZoo Inc.(NASDAQ:TZOO), which provides the best deals from 900 different travel companies, enjoyed a 20% gain on Friday.TravelZoo has 21 offices across the globe and owns several several international domains, including Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and France.

Travelzoo's featured tool, SuperSearch, is a pay-per-click travel search tool, and 15 million users are registered on the the TravelZoo top 20,an email newsletter listing the best travel deals of the week. TravelZoo's recent momentum may reflect consumer frustration from bait and switch tactics and frustrating scams by Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE), while Orbitz (NYSE:OWW) is stagnant. We'll keep an eye on TravelZoo this week to see if the momentum continues.

Due to E-tax, North Carolina's Vendors Could Lose Amazon Access

Matt O'Hern — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:37:00 -0400

States across the nation are scrambling for solutions to their budget deficits, and as a result, online vendors may feel the squeeze from online fees, also known as iTunes tax, digital goods tax and E-tax.
North Carolina vendors could lose access to Amazon,(NASDAQ:AMZN) America's largest online retailer and reseller.
Amazon may cut North Carolina vendors if the state's E-tax is approved. Spokeswoman Patty Smith told the Wall Street Journal that Amazon views North Carolina's proposed law to collect 4.5% sales tax from online marketing affiliates "unconstitutional" and "isn't appropriate for us to have to comply with an unconstitutional burden."

Is the E-Tax unconstitutional? Yes-According to Americans for Tax Reform, E-tax is a "complicated scheme to collect more taxes and circumvent the interstate commerce clause." Interstate commerce clause authorizes Congress “To regulate Commerce with several States.

stopeTaxes.com, points out why e-Taxes are bad public policy. Several points included in its list include:
eTaxes across state lines violate the Dormant Commerce Clause, which restricts states from passing legislation that burdens or impedes interstate commerce

While many states are seeking to tax digital goods, some states are specifically exempting these products from taxation to entice digital vendors and other high tech companies to move to their state, create jobs, and expand the tax base.
E-tax will create a black market for all digital goods, with Napster serving as the example.
StopEtaxes.com cites a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court Case, Quill v. North Dakota, which upheld that states could not require companies to collect a sales and use tax without either property or employees in the state.

When the first wave of eTax proposals started back in November, we polled you-our readers, to get your opinion on eTaxes. By an overwhelming majority,69%of you, voted against the eTax, compared to only 15% voting for it and 15% voting-"maybe."

China Mobile Limited (NYSE:CHL) 3G Network Continues Rapid Growth

Matt O'Hern — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:56:00 -0400

Only two months after the launch of China Mobile's 3G network, the subscriber base for the enhanced network is double the size of 2G. China Mobile Limited (NYSE:CHL) 488.1 million total subscribers at the start of this month.

On the same day CML announced its impressive 3G growth rate, it also bought a 12% stake in Far EasTone Telecommunications Limited, which awaits approval from the two governments. Approval would mark the first agreement between Tawain and Chine since 1959, when the communist government took power.According to a report from International Law Office,the agreement will upgrade roaming service and network capabilities for both parties.

Under the agreement, Far EasTone Telecommunications will provide a testbed for Taiwan's software providers and manufacturers that are interested in the third-generation (3G) technology Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access, a unique 3G standard adopted by the Chinese government.

With China's telecom market expanding at this rate, I wonder if CML's 3G subscribers will encounter the same connection problems that have frustrated iPhone users on AT&T's 3G network.

Twitter Search #Jobs vs. Careerbuilder & Monster.com Job Search Engines

Matt O'Hern — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:46:00 -0400

Timing is everything, and in today's instant gratification culture, we want our info as fast as possible, which is why Twitter Job search may prove to be a better source for job seekers. Initially, Monster and Careerbuilder supplied a database unrivaled by virtually any other sites: a national collection of job openings for every field.

During the past few years, Monster and Careerbuilder have become saturated with pyramid schemes and other get-rich quick,direct marketing listings that don't appeal to anyone seeking a professional career.

Let me preface my Twitter #Jobs search hype by conceeding that those same listings appear, but there's also an abundance of legitimate career opportunities that arise every minute. By searching #jobs + any big city, you find openings from secondary job search sites that you may have never found otherwise.

A perfect example is orlandojobtweet ,a helpful page for anyone in the central Florida area. Postings range from maintence chief at Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO)to teaching positions at Full Sail University, and everything in between.

With national unemployment around 10%, job seekers need every advantage they can get against competing candidates. Monster.com and Careerbuilder can't offer the frequent updates, so many jobhunters may supplement their search with Twitter, or ditch monster and careerbuilder, out of impatience.

Will Vitamin Water Launch the First Shaq & LeBron James Commercial?

Matt O'Hern — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:08:00 -0400

Two of the biggest stars in the NBA will share the same court, as Shaq heads to the Cleveland Cavs to join LeBron James.

In different eras, each of the superstars has enjoyed the spotlight as the league's most popular and most marketable player. In the post-Jordan,late 90s and early 2000s, Shaq was the face of the NBA. Now, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have emerged as the new leaders.

As we all know from the Kobe and Lebron puppet commercials , LeBron is a Nike man, and his State Farm ad gave us a glimpse of LeBron in the NFL. One endorsement Shaq and LeBron share: Vitamin Water, made by energybrands. Assuming the NBA approves the trade and Shaq passes his physical, it's not matter of if but when, we'll see a new Vitamin Water Commercial starring Shaq and LeBron.

I checked Shaq's Twitter Page to see if he's made any comments about the trade, but he must have orders from his agent to keep his lips sealed until it's approved.

Update: Pepsi 12 Pack Sightings in Florida

Matt O'Hern — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:32:00 -0400

Evidently, my posts complaining about the Pepsi 8-pack and the site, bringbackthe12pack.com, reflected a widespread sentiment, because we're receiving reader mail reporting the 12-pack is back in the Sunshine State.I sent a letter of inquiry to Dee Dee Ward, a consumer relations representative for Pepsi. You may recall, who sent the first response to our 8-pack outrage.

According to my readers, the 12-packs have been spotted in Florida again. Does Pepsi plan to bring back the 12-pack and phase-out the 8-pack? Also, what were some of the reasons for Pepsi's decision to bring back the 12-pack? I'm anxious to share with our readers.

I'm awaiting her response and I'll post it once it arrives.

Mid-Major College Sports Teams Face Giant Marketing Challenges

Matt O'Hern — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:20:00 -0400

When elite college athletic departments such as the University of Florida, the Oklahoma Sooners and other BCS programs are forced to cut their budgets, you can only imagine the cost-cutting measures taken at the thousands of other universities.
For state universities and the Top-25 football programs, athletic department budgets are usually in healthy shape by the time September arrives. Then there's the vast majority of insitutions who are rarely featured on ESPN or in Sports Illustrated. They're forced to explore every possible avenue to generate fan interest and sell tickets.
Smaller athletic departments, such as my alma mater, Samford University, are comparable to small business trying to compete with the giant corporations.

Smaller, private universities are forced to tap every creative outlet in order to pitch their respective teams to the surrounding community.
Samford is in the suburbs of Birmingham, with three major state schools within a short drive. The "Big Two", Auburn and the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, are within a two hour drive, and the University of Alabama-Birmingham is just down Route 31.

As a result, college football fans have two SEC games to choose from each Saturday, or a Southern Conference (Furman, Appalachian State, Citadel, West Carolina) just down the road.
Imagine yourself as the director of athletic marketing at a small university located in a metropolitan area. How would you lure the surrounding fan base?
I posed these questions to Grant Lyons, the Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Home Event Management and Hollie Huey, Samford's director of athletic marketing.

Huey has worked in both sides of college sports marketing. Prior to joining Samford's staff, Huey was a marketing and promotions assistant for the Alabama Crimson Tide, home of a football team with 12 national championships and a fanbase that's arguably the most passionate in the nation.
When Huey became the director of athletic marketing at Samford, she realized her new position required more creativity and new angles to pitch Samford's teams.One positive move was when the Bulldogs ditched the obscure Ohio Valley Conference and joined the Southern Conference, which is widely regarded as the premier conference for mid-major NCAA competition.
Lyons,Huey and the rest of the athletic department emphasize the budget-friendly ticket costs and family-friendly atmosphere on gameday.Huey said:

It's very family friendly and in times of such economic turmoil, some families can't afford to pay $70 plus a ticket plus gas, food and lodging for some. It's also easier for those in-town to stop by instead of traveling to watch sports.

If you feed them they will come! That's the principle behind promotions such as the Qdoba burrito eating contest at a soccer game. Bachelorette's stormed a softball field and ripped off the bases during a diamond dig promotion. A local jeweler, Steed's Jewelers, provided a diamond buried in the infield. (I could make a sterotypical joke about Samford girls and MRS. Degrees, but I'll refrain.)

A similar promo involved a money drop, where a helicopter dropped a load of dollar bills over the field.
In addition to the unique promotions, value per-ticket is another selling point, as Lyons explained, a season ticket for Samford is about the same price for just a single-game ticket to an Auburn or Alabama game.A football season ticket was $60 last year, at $12 adult and $5 child per individual game.
Another angle Samford used was their connection to Auburn fans. Pat Sullivan, a heisman trophy-winning quarterback at Auburn, is the head coach for Samford. Many of the football ticket sales are purchased on gameday, which is why Lyons,Huey and the rest of the staff, go the extra mile to create an exciting yet comfortable atmosphere throughout the campus. Creating a memorable experience is the top priority.

At the end of the day, we CAN'T compete with AU and UA. Nor do we want to. We are Samford, and there are plenty of things that set us apart. I've always said if we can get a family here to a game, and they have a good experience, they'll come back again. If we can provide fun promotions, the FunZone for kids, a huge tailgating area pre-game, and some other surprises here and there then we can almost always leave a positive impression on the fans.One that they will leave saying 'Man, I can't wait to come back to another game!'