Techcrunch blogger has the extra bottle of wine at The Flipboard launch and starts to write....yep, another one. Oh dear.

You know the way it is.


You've gone to lunch, had that bottle of wine too many and now you're going to tell everyone what you really think. So you draft that email but most of us never send it until the next day at best, because we're old hands.


Or that text you send and the next morning you look at the phone, arm extended, with one eye, going "no, please, I didn't, did I?".


Just like Jerry Comyn did last month http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/05/irishman-jerry-comyn-leaves-us.html and Greg Smyth of Goldman Sachs, before him.


So you're a blogger with Techcrunch. 


Techcrunch was founded by Michael Arrington (yeah, that's him at the top of the blog. Get my drift?) in 2005 who is no longer there but famed for a 2010 a verbal confrontation with CEO of Yahoo!, Carol Bartz. Arrington started the interview by asking Bartz, "So how the fuck are you?" To which she responded, "Is that appropriate?". Later in the interview, Bartz became perturbed with Arrington's criticism of the Yahoo! business model of conglomeration rather than single revenue source producers. Bartz then responded to Arrington saying, "you are involved in a very tiny company" and ended the exchange by telling him to "fuck off." Bartz received some support from bloggers for her response, including Guy Kawasaki who stated, "I respect Carol Bartz even more now." (per Wikipedia).


Techcrunch is one of the top 2 techy blogs along with Mashable, and so as one of their writers/reporters, you're invited by Flipboard (which I love) to a function to tell you about how it's expanding their monetization policies. Not exactly fascinating but still, has to be done. Pays the rent and all that.


But you have had that extra bottle of wine and you've just about had enough. So you start to write your post for Techcrunch. Think of a good headline. Here's the one Alexia Tsotsis went with


Flipboard Expands Its Monetization Options To Paywall. Welcome To The Future, Old Media Assholes.


Old Media Assholes? Hmmmm interesting approach. But having started, let's not stop there. No way, let's go all the fucking way.


Fuckers I am so sick of reporting on incremental tech news for fucking two years now, so sick I’m pretty much considering reverting full-time to fashion coverage. (Don’t believe me? Well, how amazing and beautiful is my“Clothing I Like and Want To Buy” Pinterest board? A.k.a. my greatest accomplishment in my life thus far …).


But yeah, The New York Times took a step towards the future this blasted Sunday night and all of us tech press are expected to cover it like lemmings. Fine. Sure. It’s a big deal, in a business that is slowly dying, to show an understanding of 21st Century distribution mechanisms. Kudos NYT. You’re still worth less than Instagram. Hahahahhaha, lol (drink).


But still you, The New York Times, are way more important than I am, because you convinced Flipboard CEO Mike McCue to work with you early on, which by the timing of this post you could probably figure out that I couldn’t do (in time). Fail. But we’re still covering it because this is the first time Flipboard has offered a paywall option, and it shows a promising alternative revenue stream for both parties involved  … Welcome to the future, old media assholes.


So in between the downing of tonight’s two bottles of wine, I had the good fortune to ask new media visionary McCue the questions y’all are dying to ask, and here they are — Because he was cool enough to answer me  …


And then the questions all seem reasonable - like they're straight from a press release.


But let's not finish there. Let's just roll it all up in a final insult.


So there you have it. If both Flipboard and The New York Times were public companies and you asked me to convert my invaluable Aol stock into either right now, one and a half bottles of wine deep, I’d instinctively go with Flipboard. Suck it, old media. And please die more slowly from now on, because I (clearly) hate you.


Of course, you're all saying this didn't appear on Techcrunch yesterday.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/06/25/die-less-slow/


And you're also saying it wouldn't have got past the editor.
Nope because Alexia is the co-editor.



Alexia Tsotsis
CO-EDITOR
Alexia Tsotsis is the co-editor of TechCrunch. She attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, majoring in Writing and Art, and moved to New York City shortly after graduation to work in the Media industry.


She made the Forbes, "30 under 30 rising stars media list". One wonders will she do it again this year?


As for Techcrunch?
Well to be fair, they've left the post up. 
There's a bit of integrity about that somehow.


But a shocking bit of concern that albeit "approved sources" can write anything on Techcrunch without somebody reading it? That is a huge issue.


Techcrunch needs to be seen as impartial and honest.
If no-one is checking the writing, it opens up huge potential pitfalls - paid to blog just being one.

Advertising + Ad Agencies have a future. Google is proving it + this wins at Cannes.

Got a huge response to my post of the weekend about BBH and British Airways. I'm sure just because people wanted to view the commercial but I think also, Ad people like to admire good work. 


Interesting too, that BBH got 2nd place in Cannes as 'Ad Agency of the year' behind Wieden Kennedy. No shame there.


Just two other points about Cannes first : Jack Dorsey (I always thought if I ever wrote a detective novel, he'd be called, 'Jack Dorsey'. Just made for it), the 34 year old founder of the 6 year old Twitter, got 'Media person of the year'.


And mobile ad of the year? It's the one that's all over this blog as you read on.


What's interesting too about the BA commercial was that it premiered on Facebook and not TV - a blending of Social Media.


Now I know what you're going to say about this post because I'm asking you to view a video that's an hour long. Crazy. Who has that time? But perhaps if you want to remain inspired, you will. And it will be worth it. Maybe we all need to take an hour out every now and again to refresh our thinking.


But you know what, so many Agencies don't understand the space. This will show them how it can be used and integrated into traditional advertising. It's magic.


This is Google's "Project brief" which is about taking classic, iconic Ad campaigns of the past, with Agency people of the past, and seeing can they bring them into today. 


I've been following it and the individual/shorter clips are all here. Avis, Alka Seltzer, Volvo and the best of the all, Harvey Gabor for Coke ("I'd like to buy the world a Coke" 1971). Or I think so.


The long version on this blog brings them all together, telling each story and to the unveiling at SXSW. It is the best thing I've seen in advertising in 20 years and Google, are to be applauded (I never really liked them but this propels them in my head).


So here are the 4 individual blogs for each brand. If you're going to watch only one and not the longer video, click Coke (the first one here). But try and watch it. You'll learn from it that if we embrace the technology, we can do amazing work. To embrace the technology, we have to understand it first.


http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/03/ad-agencies-have-future-thanks-to.html
http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/04/avis-we-try-harder-agencies-have-future.html
http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/04/ad-agencies-have-future-thanks-to.html alka seltzer

http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/03/google-classic-ad-campaigns-volvo.html



Hats off Google. You've done a great job here and I hope the Ad Agencies get on board.


Mind you, The Pitch is one of the great TV programmes on-air at the moment. Terrific stuff. Does a great job in showing Ad Agencies to be intelligent thinkers rather than flaky, over paid, traditionalists.


And it's being pulled.


Oh why?
Ad Agencies won't take part in the first place + aren't watching (Nielsen ratings just above zero).


You know what? Stop giving out. We do it to ourselves.

BBH new British Airways commercial for the Olympics. Work like this only comes along every 20 years. Magnificent.

Now this brought a tear to my eye as it should for ever self-respecting adman. It's a long time since I saw a budget spent on a brand like this since the last big BA "face" commercial, "the world's favourite airline" in 1989. And what I mean by that, is a refreshing commitment to building brands by British Airways and putting their money where their mouth is.


The 1989 "face" commercial did wonders for Saatchis at the time and of course, Director Hugh Hudson and it's at the end of this blog (90" version). This will do the same for BBH - not that they need the applause - because they've proved themselves so many times over. But just for the pride.


What a terrific piece of work this is.

Firstly, it's ideal for the London Olympics and as every brand tries to capture the passion of the event, none will do it as well as this. None. It's the perfect commercial for the perfect brand at the perfect time. Great opportunity with timing.


Secondly, could you ever write a better headline than "London Calling" for BA? Ever? It's a superb line that has heritage. 


Apart from the great Clash (a true, die hard working class punk London Band), it was the title of their third album which Rolling Stone declared as the best album of the 1980's. A Joe Strummer and Mick Jones signature song and it's hard to believe that Joe (real name John Mellor, born in Turkey - swear to god) is dead 10 years.


The track will also remind some Brits of "Germany Calling" the infamous Lord Haw Haw nazi propaganda broadcasts in WW2 from 1939-45.


Those Brits that do remember will make the connection and realise the entendre (it's actually how the song was inspired) thereby, further playing on great days in Britain. So it works across the generations.


But I guarantee you, because of the commercial, "London Calling" will become the anthem of the London Olympics meaning every time it's played, BA will be remembered.


Trust me too, this is not my post rationalisation, this has all been thought of and worked out by the Agency.


(By the way, people still think Lord Haw Haw was Irish. He wasn't. He was American but lived in Ireland and was hung for treason by Britain. Which has been argued as a great miscarriage because you can't commit treason against a country you weren't born in. Anyway, hardly a great loss)


Thirdly, look at the strapline. "Don't fly". Ever see that on an airline commercial? Imagine what bravery it took to get that through. Imagine standing in front of the client and arguing that "don't fly" should be on a British Airways Commercial? Even the suit who did that, deserves mention here. 


What it actually means when you get over the contradiction, is, stay at home to support the British Olympic Team which engenders pride..... But, if ever you're thinking of flying, well, BA is here. Magnificent.


Lastly, look at the pics. Bring planes onto landmark streets (Big Ben) and show how much a part of the fabric BA is. And how convenient, easy it is. Look at the turbulence seat belt gag as the plane follows a London Black Taxi over a road speed bump. And then think how that will work on outdoor, print - a plane on your own street. Great idea.


And by the way, this commercial was premiered on Facebook and not terrestrial TV. Just after WPP's highly paid 67 year old Shorty Sorrell questioned the role of Social Media for brands last week. Wouldn't you think an Adman, albeit an Accountant, would eventually stop this nonsense? 


And why was the commercial launched on Social Media? Because it would be passed around instantly - which it was. Hard to get that free viral reaction on TV Mr. Sorrell without passing around TV's. Don't you think? And don't you think the people who work in your Agencies Mr. Sorrell get that? And want to hear their Accountant owner supporting Social Media since they all now claim to? 


It possibly comes as no surprise that the commercial was created by John Hegarty's BBH whom I've met many times and this certainly is a reflection of their glory days (Levis, Audi). I mean that with affection - they are the stunning UK agency of the last 20 years (started in 1982 and I visited those small offices when they did) who took the "legends" mantle from Agencies like CDP, Saatchis and ABM. I truly hope they get every inch of credit they deserve for this. BBH’s creative directors Justin Moore and Hamish Pinnell worked on the ad with producer Natalie Parish according to Campaign.


ZenithOptimedia handled the media planning and buying, while OgilvyOne and 12th Floor handled digital activity. 


And the client at BA, an airline run by Irishman Willie Walsh, deserves every bit too, for being brave enough to go with it. I hope their planes are full forever.


If ever I wanted to be involved in a piece of work, and I've been involved in a few, this would be it. Without doubt.


Lastly, I can't leave it without the other great BA Commercial from Hudson and Saatchis. Probably never to be overshadowed because of its magic.


But I'd think even Hugh Hudson would hold his hands up and say, "you know what, maybe it just has". Maybe it just has.

Peepol.tv gets funding to start citizen journalism news. This could change everything.

News is transforming and video of news is transforming too.
Irish publishers already understand the issues and are dealing with it.


But here's a brand new citizen journalism concept called Peepol.tv which is stunning. Stunning. Here's the url they're working with at the moment http://publiclaboratory.com:3019/ and yes, early early stages.


Just awarded funding by the Knight Foundation, who focus on funding media innovation and freedom of expression. Since 2007, they've invested over 100m usd in new technology ideas although largely with a focus on fostering democracy. They believe that open and honest news gathering, is key to creating a better, open society and so they support ideas financially, in that space. And I'm pretty sure, on a non-profit basis. 


The Knight Brothers themselves, are former US Newspaper owners, so they understand the role that news plays. Indeed, we've seen the role of social media news recently in nurturing revolution through the Arab Spring, Syria and others.


Felipe Heusser is the driver behind Peepol.tv and he was motivated when student protestors took to the streets of his home, Santiago, Chile, last year. He felt the press covered the darker side and to give his fellow Chileans a more "unfiltered" view, he attached his iphone to a helium balloon and sent it high above the streets, live streaming the events back to a server. (photo thanks to Niemanlab).

Within an hour, it was viewed by 10,000 and then, he saw the mainstream media embedding his content in their own websites. In fact, I saw the footage on Sky News for example. That event inspired his idea to extend it through Peepol.tv and now, he has the funding to start it.


Using mapping too, it allows you to view live streamed citizen journalism of events across the world. And, by embedding Twitter feeds for example, allows others to make comments on what they're seeing. Importantly too, he can encourage more citizens to get to something that's happening and start filming to stream it back.


This changes everything.


They are creating an App that's quick to open and immediately starts streaming the footage back. Which also means, that if the Police take your phone it won't matter, the footage has already been streamed back.


Although not trained journalists as such, this type of video news has massive potential as more and more citizens sign in and start filming. A new TV network based on news gathering. And they'll extend to other events such as Concerts, Sports, Traffic or anything making it real easy for others to watch exactly what's going on - as it happens.


Apart from the high and lofty democratization ideals, utterly important as they absolutely are, it has the potential to be a real game changer. 


There are issues - libel potential being only one, copyright being another - but there are also no limitations.


Peepol.tv is possibly the new face of news. Or one new face.
They have an idea, they have funding, it works (we know it does because Streamabout is a live streamer too) and we expect to see it within months.


Congratulations to the Knight Brothers too for having the foresight and more importantly, for giving something back in encouraging businesses like this.


A stunning leap forward.


Remember, you heard it here first.

Wayne Rooney is in trouble again. This time they're banning his tweets.

Advertising standards people, is there no end to them.

With nothing to do, having spent a lifetime banning TV/Print/Radio Ads, they've now decided to enter the digital space and banning a Twitter Ad for the first time. This is the thin end of a wedge and marketers need to get on top of this before it gets out of hand. Again.

Banning Twitter? This had better be good.

I have blogged recently about guest tweeting for Snickers, WorldIrish and how it went wrong for VisitSweden here http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012/06/guest-tweeting-and-racist-sweden-how-to.html

Now along comes Nike UK who, legitimately, get soccer stars to endorse their products and tweet about them. One none other than recent superstar Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), who having returned from a two match ban scored the winner in the European Championships to get England through to the Quarter Finals.

Nope you're wrong, Ukraine did not score. (well, not really).

It happened as part of Nike's "make it count" campaign because Wayne didn't clearly explain that his tweets were Ads (which they weren't, they were tweets from a player who endorses Nike. Anyway, move on.)

And here is the grossly offending tweet that went to his 5m followers;


@WayneRooney 
My resolution - to start the year as a champion, and finish it as a champion... #makeitcount gonike.me/makeitcount

Arsenal (a small English club you've probably never heard of) midfielder Jack Wilshire did the same and directed followers back to the Nike site.

The Advertising Standards Authority started an investigation (honestly, an investigation).

Let's think that through. Let's be investigators for a minute. Advertising investigators. Exciting isn't it?

Firstly, I see a Nike poster all over the place (as the one at the top of this blog). It's for Nike. It features Wayne Rooney. I'm going to have a long shot here and say I think Wayne Rooney endorses Nike. Call me crazy but I'm just going to have to go with that hunch.

Secondly, the tweet is @waynerooney so I'm thinking yeah, probably is him. Could be another wayne rooney? Maybe a mispell? Nah I'm going with the footballer Wayne Rooney.

Thirdly the tweet mentions a Nike site. Hmmmmmm. Wild guess, but I'm saying it's an Ad. For Nike.

Expect me to feature hugely in the next Sherlock Holmes adventure.

But the UK Advertising Standards Watchdog (sic) investigation found that the messages were "agreed with the help of a member of the Nike marketing team". Case closed then. Wow! Imagine the high fives after discovering that. Go, Ad investigation team, Go!

They're saying in essence that there was nothing in the tweets to indicate they were Nike Ads and so that's a problem. The Nike web mention didn't give it away then? And for the first time they've banned a Twitter campaign.

How many complaints did they get you ponder? 1,000? 100,000? a 100? Nope, just the one.

There's talk too of forcing endorsing celebs to use the hashtag @ad instead. Which, if they read the rules of Twitter, would know that you can't do that - users own their own tweets and frankly, they can do what they like with them.

What we do have to do is to stop this intrusion into digital by jumped up civil servants who think they're the "watchdogs" of our very being. They've destroyed advertising in part and now they're looking for something else to do.

An endorsement of a brand by a celebrity is a perfectly acceptable way to promote your brand. Having them tweet something good about the brand is absolutely acceptable too.  

Mind you, how can you ban a Twitter campaign? Hmmmm interesting issue here of jurisdiction m'lud. I'd have thought anyway. 

Say Lady GaGa tweets about an alcohol brand from America?
Do we stand on the beaches and stop the tweets coming in?
Or collect all the phones of under 18's that day whilst the tweet passes?

Maybe we should ban Lady GaGa?

Now there's a thought.
Get the Advertising standards people on the case.
Get the investigation going.
And let's start banning digital Ads.

Tell you what, ban Wayne Rooney and now I'm with you.

24 hour deluge in funding. There's money out there.

I was just looking at the number and value of deals going on at the minute on Techcrunch - and it's huge.


Talk of a "bubble" abounds......and, well, just look at these....


Sonos, the producers of high end wireless home audio has raised another 135m usd bringing its total funding to 200m.
White Sky, producing security software raised 7.5m usd
Dropcam raised 12m bringing its funding to over 17m


Codeacademy, who wants to teach the world to code, raised 10m
Cvent, an online event management company acquired SeedLabs for 4.2m
Bright, a job board, raised 6m


Bluebox, focussed on mobile security, raised 9.5m
Onefinestay, which allows out of towners rent their homes, raised 12m
Burst, a mobile sharing concept, raised 3.5m


Tencent buys a minority stake in Epic games, although money undisclosed
VHX in the independent video producer space, got 1.25m
Yext a business listings sync concept, announced a 27m round of funding


Crushpath, which allows salespeople do better deals, got 2m
Shapeways a 3D printing company got 6.2m


Never heard of them? Well that, dear reader, is since yesterday.
Yesterday. And I'm sure there's more.


There's money out there to invest in good ideas and pretty good money too. It seems to me to be a deluge as investors scramble to get into online.


Most of these are US based and I hear time and time again, that if you have a good idea, you'll fund it far quicker on the West coast. But it's really encouraging to see that level of investment going in.


The space grows and grows.
Good to see it.
Great to see it.

GetGlue. A Social network that's going to be big.

I've mentioned live streaming and the new power of youtube and the Love Film/Netflix drive to generate their own content before. It's all about the role of the web in new broadcasting and indeed, in delivering news to traditional publishers.

Now we have GetGlue (which we've actually had since 2008) driving forward with nearly 3m users (100m "check ins" during 2011) as a Social networking site purely about broadcasting content.

What GetGlue does is that it allows interaction (called "check in") of users about TV, Movies and Music in a social networking way. Largely on mobile, users talk about the entertainment they consume in a like-minded way. It partners with brands like HBO, 20th Century, MTV and Universal Pictures to name really, but a few of its 75+ partners. In turn it rewards users for their comments.


So the TV Guide for example, is not really tailored for your own taste and GetGlue gives you a guide that knows the shows you watch by giving you reminders/alerts but also lets you know when your friends are watching. Integration with Foursquare, also gives you friends locations. Clearly too therefore, it can give you recommendations and in so doing, push content to you on behalf of a broadcaster. That's a real change here and as more and more sites have users, they can talk to those users with relevancy.

It's a key change in the way the web is doing business. No longer do I need to go looking for content, it's coming to me and flipboard a clear another example of that.


Well funded (having raised 12m usd recently on top of other funding) they'll be able to offer more features - like sneak peeks/trailers and interviews as well as giving broadcasters back feedback on say, a pilot show.

It will have big brand appeal too as users in an "entertain me" mode, will be more willing to accept advertising messages. The content has huge Ad traction.

What it does show is a further opportunity in Social that brings users together albeit in a niche way, but does so succesfully enough to achieve high levels of funding. And you thought Social Networking was over?


GetGlue is a brand that's bound to be a success.
And a brand that's cool enough to be integrated into all broadcasting sites. It works for the broadcaster and it works for the user.

Social Media Day in the US is June 30th and one of the participants is Get Glue founder Alex Iskold. You'll find stuff about him on Mashable no doubt, after that.

(If you're still reading Mashable.
And that was last week's blog http://streamabout.blogspot.ie/2012_06_03_archive.html. VC's Mashable and how it can go horribly wrong.)

Have a good look at GetGlue.com and see something interesting....from the start. Or in other words, pre-ipo!


LASTLY, One Cry for help http://www.independent.ie/national-news/search-for-irish-fan-missing-in-poland-enters-third-day-3143935.html An Irish football fan is missing. If you pass it on, it might be the difference in finding him. Photo is on the link.

Facebook to leave Nasdaq probably. A tsunami IPO if ever there was one.

The Facebook IPO seems to have been a real watershed for everyone but now it has enveloped Nasdaq. 


If you recall, the IPO opening was delayed by technology glitches (ironic or wha?) on the exchange which meant that brokers weren't able to determine what was traded and what was not. Really a very poor show, which resulted in Nasdaq now offering some of those brokers secret compensation (millions of dollars) and it has also resulted in some of those brokers taking class actions against Nasdaq.


Now apart from the money involved, here we have a situation where your clients are suing you. The Brokers, on whom Nasdaq depends, are disgruntled to say the least and are suing Nasdaq. So when you get your clients suing you, things aren't looking good for the future.


But it all got worse over the weekend. It would seem that given all of the issues, Facebook are considering moving off the Nasdaq Exchange. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a hammer blow.


Nasdaq (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated quotations) is the 2nd largest exchange after The New York Stock Exchange. It is owned by a private financial services corporation based in NYC, that own a number of other exchanges. Started in 1971 replacing the old "OTC" system, it was the first exchange to start trading online and consequently, very quickly, became the darling of internet companies and most notably in the first bubble.


Famously of course, its former non-executive chairman was Bernie Madoff and one time being the largest market maker on Nasdaq. Madoff started with 5,000 usd from working as a lifeguard and sprinkler installer.


When we (via net works)  floated on Nasdaq in March of 2000, there were 23 other companies floating the same day, so you get its popularity. Hence it was almost the obvious choice for Facebook.


And now that Facebook are thinking of going, it's going to take some of the tech sheen away from Nasdaq coupled with the ongoing damage that the IPO has done to the exchange. If you were going to IPO tomorrow, would you be thinking Nasdaq?


The Facebook IPO has been a tsunami. And the shock waves will be felt for a time yet. 


The SEC investigation into insider dealing has tarnished Wall Street and given the convictions on Friday, some will be shaking in their fine leather shoes.


The Facebook price collapse has tarnished Facebook in what some see as young brat billionaires showing distain for regular investors. 


And it already has reduced the stock price of many other tech companies who won't be sending Facebook Christmas Cards this year.


Not a good picture all round.
Not good for the Social space at all.

Guest Tweeting and Racist Sweden. How to get it wrong.

Don't you just love Social Media and especially the fun you can have when people really screw it up? Aahh.


Guest tweeting. 


Seems like a lovely idea and it can be, unless you're in the country of Sweden. But I'll get to that. It'll be worth it.


The first time I came across guest tweeting was in a terrific campaign for Snickers in the UK. Using page 3/glamour model Katie Price (aka 'Jordan') she tweeted to her 1.5m followers about Snickers, keeping the campaign philosophy in mind which was, "you're a diva when you're hungry". 


In other words, when you're hungry you behave differently and if you grab a Snickers you'll get back to normal. The line is "you're not you when you're hungry".


You may have seen the TV treatments with Joan Collins and Aretha Franklin. Anyway.


So they had Jordan tweet about the Euro Crisis - not exactly the first thing that comes to mind about Jordan. One tweet went......


'Large scale quantitative easing in 2012 could distort liquidity of govt. bond market. #justsayin.' Ha! terrific.


Another went, "Chinese leaders now likely to loosen monetary policy to stimulate growth. Yay!!", "OMG!! Eurozone debt problems can only be properly solved by true fiscal union!!


I thought it was terrific by AMV/BBDO. 


Recently an Irish brand, worldirish.com, under the grand stewardship of internet pioneer and all round nice guy, Michael Branagan (remember Indigo? that was him) did the same. They handed over their @ireland to guest tweeters, called curators, each week (you can be one by emailing ireland@worldirish.com).


It also happened this week was Fr Bryan Shortall to tie in with the International Eucharistic Congress, which is taking place in Ireland. 


Yep, a priest and you know what, he did a great job. Really. One of the tweets about his Dad's train set, generated responses looking for pics and so he got pics and shared them. And he tweeted about his 10 year old nephew. 


Pop star Sinead O'Connor got involved by tweeting him and asking him if she should be a guest, given that she too is a "priest" (sort of).


So it works. Good solid Social activity.


And then we have the magic of Sweden.


The @sweden twitter project is an initiative of The Swedish Institute and Visit Sweden to get people interested in all things Swedish. Jesus. Like what? Snow?


So a 27-year-old Swedish blogger, who describes herself as a “a single and low educated mother” (low educated? nah, she's kidding) adding “at least I don’t do drugs and prostitution”, took over as the main curator of @Sweden this week and quickly found herself in the middle of a controversy over some of her tweets.


Whilst talking about her life, curator Sonja Abrahamsson went for it on Twitter.


On June 12 she wrote “Whats the fuzz with jews. You can’t even see if a person is a jew, unless you see their penises, and even if you do, you can’t be sure!?


@Sweden June 12, 2012 12:43 In nazi German they even had to sew stars on their sleeves. If they didn’t, they could never now who was a jew and who was not a jew.

@Sweden June 12, 2012 12:53 Where I come from there is no jews. I guess its a religion. But why were the nazis talking about races? Was it a blood-thing (for them)?

So I think you can take it she doesn't like Jews.

Lena Posner-Körösi, president of Stockholm’s Council of Swedish Jewish Communities told the paper. “They really should do a quality check on these people beforehand.” A quality check? Lena is being kind.


Other tweets include a "I hate Ikea" (Sweden's darling Ikea that is, masters of the flatpack) and "I wish I had Down's syndrome". Honey, that's the last of your worries, trust me.


Here you go https://twitter.com/#!/sweden


Even U.S. comedian Stephen Colbert weighed in, asking on The Colbert Report that he be allowed to control the Twitter account next. Colbert is running a campaign on his website asking his fans to send emails to “Sweden’s ministry of Twitter” to allow him to take control of the account for a week.


“Sonja Abrahamsson brought some attention to Sweden with her charming question: What’s the fuzz with Jews?” Colbert said on the Colbert Report on Tuesday. “I solemnly swear that I Stephen Colbert, know what the ‘fuzz’ is with Jews.”


The Visit Sweden people? They're so cool, they're letting her hang on in there because it's eh, "democratic" and because they think they're getting people interested in Sweden. Their massive spike in traffic obviously means the campaign is working, they think. I think, they're brain dead. And I also think Sweden is a kip. So there.


Like the good old "there's no such thing as bad publicity" yawn. Oh yes there is, when you portray yourself as racist.Trust me. Guessing you won't get a lot of Jewish tourism this year either.


And oh yeah, nearly forget, she's now on youtube. "Im bossy" and yeah that's it at the top of this blog.


Which actually I probably shouldn't have posted because it gives these eejits oxygen. 


Guest tweeting is a good idea but don't get it wrong.


And one last thing before I go, I'm posting this pic thanks to Daniel Greene. With total respect. Let Sweden know what you think. Tweet them.

Apple teams with Facebook. Tim Cook becomes Steve Jobs.

So for all the talk of Apple post-Steve Jobs and Tim Cook, the announcement this week of Apple's forthcoming Iphone/Ipad software update is a good insight into the way they're going.


The company will now feature Facebook as part of its full integration. In other words, easy access to Facebook on your phone will allow you to post images and video directly. Possibly resulting in a deluge of what is referred to as "overposting" but a clear signal of Apple's Social plans. If you own the device, you can spread the content. You can own the content.


Facebook will simply appear as a setting on the iphone/ipad (and other Apple devices) allowing you to say, sync Contacts/Events/Birthdays from Facebook so they'll appear on your most used apps such as Calendar. Everything integrated. 


Presumably too, location will be another feature shared. I guess gaming too - which is a real driver.


Previously we did see Twitter integrated of course and it tripled sales to Twitter users. Nearly half of all photos posted to Twitter come from...Apple devices. So this is another big win day for Apple.


From an Apple perspective of course too, it's also one in the eye for Google's Google+ and Android phones. And it's real marketing, real point-of-difference stuff that brings Apple up to speed and cool again.


Tim Cook might not appear to be Jobs, but he's not sitting on his hands either. It's again driving mobile as the device of choice and pointing to their development as the key to having Social in your pocket.


I note too that even in a depressed European market, smartphones will grow this year by 60% clearly marking a switch (since phone penetration is already maxed) to the smart device. People will be on them and these new applications point further to a great future.


Samsung too, the market leader, will not be far behind but the coolness of Apple as a brand is more attractive to the likes of Twitter and Facebook. A clear competitive advantage.


Make way for the new cult of Tim Cook.
It's here already.

VC's, Mashable and how it can go horribly wrong.

 

 
What is going on at Mashable? Following Pete Cashmore's 200m usd payday from CNN when they bought the blog in February, changes seem to be well afoot and none of them good.

Firstly the number of Ads has well increased creating a cluttered feel rather than the free, bright, cool style of old. Of course, CNN want their money back ("monetise the content" as they dreadfully say) but packing in the ads will drive traffic away rather than generate more revenue.

Secondly, there seems to me, no more "breaking" news and rather rehashed older stories which are well, badly written. Whatever about the writing, because that is subjective I accept, however the typos aren't and just shouldn't be there. Full stop.

It's even making Techcrunch look like it's cutting edge.

There was a great "coolness" ethos about Mashable that seems slowly to be disappearing and it seems too co-incidental to think that it's not related to the sale to CNN. The CNN site itself, suffers hugely from that "pack em in" philosophy using vod above the fold to create streams and therefore, advertising pre-rolls and therefore, money.

Revenue over substance. Short term gain for a long term loss.

To me, this illustrates the issues around VC's and big time traditional investors who scramble to get into Social (thereby, creating a money bubble). They pay high valuations and don't know what to do later. Acquisitions can make sense but if the cultural fit isn't right, they won't and no more so than in this space. And especially if the young turks who started it, take the money and run.

VC's and investors, can destroy your business rather than help it. They're interested in a return on capital solely.

I am 1000% with the digital founders who take the cheques - like P Cashmore - absolutely but there's something worrying about investors ultimately destroying the vibe. Because when they do, they'll destroy it for all. It will just become another "market". Exactly the damage that the Facebook IPO has done to Zynga, LinkedIn and all other businesses in the space. And the glee that smart suited businesspeople tell you about Social not being "all it's cracked up to be, like Facebook".

At the Facebook IPO one investor proudly spouted off to his other VC pals, how he turned 250,000 into 200m. And he did exactly what for Facebook? Loaned them money that he was able to convince others to give him to invest? Hardly inspiring. Hardly creating anything except wealth for a chosen few who had it in the first place. Money follows money.

It's becoming a mad world.
Caveat emptor.
But also.... be VC aware.


If you take the cheque, be prepared to say goodbye to the baby.

Online Newspapers more popular now than the printed version in Ireland. Good news for publishers.

Just as if you didn't know, online newspapers are now more popular that offline ones in Ireland, according to a no more credible source than the BBC. 

We all knew it was coming and had identified the trend, but the fact that online has overtaken offline already, is staggering. This was conducted in February 2012 so it's really current.


Not that it affects the publishers in one way, since they all have and own, excellent online sites but it indicates where Ad money should go. So whether the ads are placed online or offline doesn't really matter to a publisher except this - they've more inventory, more pages to sell online and the ability to change them regularly throughout a day.

If there's more readers online, there's going to be more advetising online.

The research shows that 60% of newspaper websites are more popular for news than their online equivalent (57%). Although TV is still the main source for news (breaking news + sports) at 63%, which is not surprising given that people want video of news and online publishers don't have it - yet. But they're getting there and they'll then have the power to compete with TV broadcasters when they do. One exciting space to be in for print publishers at last.

Whilst RTE.ie remains the top site in this survey, one must think, but for how long? 

BBC (bbc.co.uk) comes in an amazing second - given that their news is not local. But it's also the most favoured news source on Twitter (with The Huff Post 2nd and The Telegraph 3rd).


Print and TV will become blurred once publishers get vod of news online and that will give them a significant opportunity. A light for print publishers online which is absolutely terrific, given that they've stuck it out long enough. Good for them.


Most people are viewing news on mobile (54%) a couple of times a day and 42% claim to be checking regularly. Something which isn't done offline, because once you read a paper, well, you've read it and print news is static, online is dynamic (it changes throughout the day).  

Interesting too that 64% said they owned a smartphone and 50% a games console with nearly 90% having good internet access.

“Today’s results are an indication that news consumption in Ireland is in robust health, and that consumers appreciate the traditional print outlets for news as well as the new digital platforms,” said Isla McLeod, digital sales director of EMEA for BBC Worldwide. “These are welcome results for advertisers looking to reach this highly desirable audience.”

And how right that is. 

I note Kevin Foley of Adforce comments (who look after the BBC inventory) about the need for advertisers to adopt change and get more online. I don't think it's any secret that already the TV3 player is sold out for pre-rolls (ads running before the content). And he's right - the model has now officially changed.

All round this is good news for online.

Good for online publishers, good for online Sales houses, good for Clients.

It's simply a change from one medium to the other but making advertising more results driven.

Will Agencies shift their budgets?

Yes, in time. We move too slowly to adopt change but this research is going to make a difference.

More people are choosing online for news now rather than in the traditional way. Advertising follows audience. Advertisers will want to know why it's not being recommended by their Agencies. So they'll have to.

LinkedIn Passwords hacked? Change yours.

 
Oh dear, on foot of the price fall (collapse?) following the knock-on effects of the Facebook ipo, Linkedin it seems, now have a security breach. And yep, it comes just after their recent problems with Linkedin smartphone app for IOS update transmitting users meeting notes back to Linkedin servers without permission.


Although LinkedIn haven't "confirmed" it, we all know it's there and if you have a Linkedin account, change your password now. This is spammer heaven if they have yours.

6.5 million passwords appeared on a Russia hacker site today. Although it represents about 5% of LinkedIn users, that's no comfort if you're in the 5%. LinkedIn estimate they've about 160m users.

Twitter users report report that they've found their own hashes buried in the massive text dump and of course, email addresses may also be there. A tweet from LinkedIn at the end of this blog is an object lesson in how not to assage people's fears.


"Stay tuned" as it says, is a bit too cool for me anyway and further tweets say that they've haven't got much further with it. Bloggers earlier in the week had talked about attempts to hack LinkedIn before we heard this. So should have they.

A breach like this coming on foot of the other issues is damaging if it's not handled correctly. It will further dampen investor confidence in the stock for one, probably bringing the share price down again. It will also create an image that LinkedIn isn't as "together" as it might be. And with Facebook and all that damage, it makes Social Media look like a pretty uncool place. So it's not good all round.

Especially to a LinkedIn with more of a "business" ethic where information is considered a bit more "confidential". And you know LinkedIn....they make even navigation difficult.

So a bad day at LinkedIn.

Don't you have one tomorrow.

Change your password.

(To change your LinkedIn password, log onto your account. Click on your name in the upper right corner and then click on the link for Settings. In the Settings section, click on the Change link next to Password. You'll be prompted to to enter your old password and then create a new one. Aim to pick a complex password that's not easy to decipher. Then click on the Change Password button.)

@LinkedIn

Our team is currently looking into reports of stolen passwords. Stay tuned for more.

6 Jun 12

Sean Parker launches Airtime. A real Skype competitor with live video.

 
Video, Video, Video, everyone wants it and along comes 'Airtime' Sean Parker's new video service which offers real time chat around Facebook.

Sean of course helped launched Facebook (formerly its President) itself and Spotify but this time has teamed up with another Shaun, Fanning - of Napster fame. Sean's Facebook equity current value? About 2.6bn usd so he won't be short of investment in Airtime nevermind being able to tap into Social Media. He has access like no other. Already Airtime has circa 33m investment.

What Airtime does, and does better than a Skype, is that it draws your Facebook interests and connects you with people you do (or don't know) to video chat around those interests - if of course, you let it. So a real video Social network and notably amongst friends. Talk to existing ones or make some new ones.


You can of course, reject or uptake the Airtime friends suggestions or indeed, limit your interests fields but it works and works smoothly. The start screen is easy to use and easy to modify with split screen giving the 'one to one' feel.

So Mr. Parker has now entered the video market in a real way and it's typical of a thinking that starts with the consumer. Find what they're interested in and let them chat about it.

Interested in music? Chat to other people with exactly the same interest in a partricular Band. Interested in Fashion? Chat to those too. And perhaps in time, chat to the band member or the fashion designer.


With the prevalence of broadband (always been a problem for video), this is both seamless and smooth. So you get something really interesting and very watchable. Almost like instant messaging.


They'll make money through selling advertising or products in time. It automatically blocks porn so it becomes more "safe".

There's been a lot of talk about Airtime over the last year and now that it has launched, it will create a huge buzz. Video is where it's at, live streaming is where it's at and it's right on the money.

I want to text you, share my pics with you but above all, I want to talk with you. Now you can.  

Who said there's no new opportunities in Social Media?

Waterstones shocking deal with Ebooks seals their future.

(Bookshop on Charing Cross Road London 1950's)


The success of e-books of course has been at the expense of traditional book sellers like Ireland's Hughes + Hughes, Borders and the great Waterstones. Until now that is.


I have blogged about it before and more recently the sad closure of Michael's 30 year old book shop in Dalkey. 
http://streamabout.blogspot.com/2012/04/apple-e-books-and-steve-jobs-secret.html


E-Books are instant, cheaper than retail and convenient to carry. As a long- standing book devourer, I had make the switch to the Amazon Kindle and never looked back. They're a terrific way to gather and read books as you go about your life. Terrific. But you do miss the bookshop experience.


However, the problem with E-books is exactly that. It's not a store. 


It doesn't have the smell, the help, the ability to pick up a book and have a sneaky flick through. The romance of looking at books and dreaming.


With Kindle, you must really know what you want and just download it - there's no "bookshop" experience, no love. And that's to Kindle's loss because it reduces their ability to sell more....which they know.


If you can browse books and pick them up for a quick look, you're more likely to buy.


So the announcement this week of the Waterstone partnership with Amazon's Kindle is a bit like dancing with the devil until you realise it's a cracking idea!! And the other traditional booksellers, have already begun to shun Waterstones, because they're still living pre-online. It's their ignorance that's going to close them and their employees jobs with them. What Waterstones have done, is to protect those jobs.


You see now, with this deal, you can go into Waterstones, browse the book you might want and download it, via their site, there and then! Simple! In effect Waterstones is becoming a virtual book shop.


Look, see, read the book you want to buy and then download it.


It's exactly the model that some clothing online retailers should consider. Or the model that video renters should have seen. Or the model that music retailers should have done. 


Merging the traditional experience with the new business model because that's what the customer wants.


I know book buyers will throw their arms around Waterstones because they love bookshops but prefer to keep their books in the Kindle. This gives them both.


For Waterstones - they retain you as a customer, get a margin from your download via Amazon and don't have the cost of stocking the shop with multiple copies of the same book. It's perfect.


For Amazon - they now have a high street retail presence which will help them to sell more books through the shopping experience - as well as capitalising on the existing fans and traffic of Waterstones existing www site. Perfect for them. 


For the customer - it's the best of both worlds. Now you can still have the book shop to browse into and not feel bad about downloading rather than buying!!!


It's a brilliant deal all round and more importantly, shows what a forward thinking traditional retailer can do. By embracing the technology, rather than dissing it, Waterstones have actually assured themselves a future. Unlike so many other businesspeople who will be wiped aside.


And that's a lesson for so many traditional businesses who ignore the web as it eats them alive. Netflix's movies on demand being a classic example of that. Or itunes. 


Take a lesson from Waterstone's.
If you can beat them, join them.


The internet is here to stay and starting to become dominant at the expense of traditional business. 


Think like Waterstones.