A long day has past

Hi Everybody,

A long day has past and I won the fight. Wordpress and some really useful widgets are now installed the "open source" company website.

May the games begin.

Just visit the "open source" company website and start commenting. For now, we're looking for a big one right from the get go:

a name.

So, if you are trying to take the credit for that one, shoot me a comment with your suggestions for a name.

Thanx.

The "open source" company

A little bit of self promotion. I've just a new company... not so exciting in itself, but this one has a twist. It does not have a name yet, it does not have a logo, just an empty shell web presence at this point.

The company will be making wooden kids toys in responsible ways, with proper (FSC) wood, paints that are not dangerous to the health and from power from 100% renewable sources.

This company is open source, not the software kind of open source, it's open source because anyone can contribute and is asked to contribute to the company. Have an idea for a name? Logo? Slogans? etc... you can contribute them. In a sense, YOU CAN BE MY BOSS!

Rethinking the desktop

Do you think it's time to reinvent the desktop on your computer? Maybe not the highest priority on your list of things to change, but there's a company that is trying to make handling files on your desktop more real life analog to how we deal with files and documents on our real desk. Check it out, it's really neat.

Alternatives to TV

Have you ever been annoyed at TV? As for me, I really dislike that fact that TV really is just a giant stream of advertisement. I'm sick of advertisement. With the amount of ads, shouldn't TV be free? I'm exaggerating a bit, but the TV stations are getting money from the customer and from the companies advertising on their channels. Does that sound iffy to you?

Well. But there is alternatives.

First, I'd like to tell you about Joost. It is like TV on your computer streamed using torrent technology. You can watch the shows at your own time, pause and fast forward them, similar to TiVo. It's free, and more and more channels are jumping on with them. Joost has just switched from an invite only beta testing to an open service. Please check it out, you will be amazed.

Second, this is just an example, more than an alternative. Tom Green (please don't roll your eyes...) has been broadcasting his own show from his living room. Unlike his previous goof shows, his show is really positive talk show and fun to watch, no advertisement break, and of course free of charge. He's had his ups and downs with some amazing and some boring guests, but this is an example of how we could have TV streaming over the internet in the future, bypassing expensive and useless technology (what are all those satellite dishes for?).

I'm excited to see what will come in the future. I'm sure there's lots more to come.

We are all loosers in the election

Hi,

I'm not a big politics kind of guy, because I don't trust it (and I think there's much more effective ways do influence politics other than voting). For all those not in Ontario/Canada, we had an election yesterday. I wouldn't be mentioning it here, if it wasn't for the referendum. One was the regular election, the other one a referendum. Ontarians had the chance to get a new voting system which in my eyes makes a lot more sense and is much more democratic than what we have. This country is so "un-progressive" it makes me sick. Canada has no backbone!!!!. The new proposed system would have been more fair for actually representing the people of this country. I'm not quite sure why the newer system (MMP) didn't win. It upsets me though, because I can't vote (because I'm a German Citizen). And in that matter all I'll say is:

IHR SEID DOCH ALLE FLASCHEN!!!

Finally Bullfrog Powered

I just received the email saying that our house is now running entirely of green low impact power. It's a wonderfull feeling to know that we are not responsible for polluting the environment through coal and nuclear generated power.

I encourage everyone to check into it. The difference in price is almost neglectable (in our case a max. of $20/ month more).

Please click on the link below to find out more and join the many private houses and companies that are already bullfrog powered. Together, we can make coal and nuclear power plants reduntant.

Click here to become bullfrog powered.

Green Music

Did you ever think about the fact that iTunes actually sells much greener music than your local record store? By buying music online, you are cutting down on emmissions for transportation and manufacturing of packaging.

There's also many other companies that sell mp3's that are well worth checking out.


Klicktrack offers DRM free music with much better compression rates than iTunes and Klicktrack is working toward compression free quality (full CD quality). Please check them out.

Can Starbucks hear me?

Hello,

This is a little different post from what I usually post here, but it could still be very interesting as a case study in the power of experiental marketing. The ideal outcome of this experiment is mentioned at the end of this post.

I'm using a passage of Max Lendermans book "Experience the Message".
I just sent an email to Starbucks:
_____

Hello,

I'd love to quote a passage in a book I recently read. The reason for this? You'll find it after the passage.

"Take Starbucks again as an example, this time as both a brand and an experience. As Lewis Carbone writes in Clued In, "if you are considering how you feel about Starbucks, you are thinking about the Starbucks brand. If you think about how you yourself feel as a result of a visit to a Starbucks, you are relating to the experience....What customers value is the experience. And that's what they associate with the brand (brand association)" (excerpt from the book "Experience the Message" by Max Lenderman).

When I went to Starbucks in downtown Montreal (#72118), I had walked by a few other coffee stores. Since I am a regular to Startbucks, I always keep a charged Starbucks "gift card" in my wallet so that I don't need any change. After walking past the Second Cups of Montreal, a few other chains and the local small coffee stores I finally found a Starbucks in the Chapters store. The store was still closed so I waited patiently for 10 minutes to get "my Starbucks". After I finally got my coffee I wanted to use my gift card to pay for the coffee. This specific store (#72118) does not have the system set up to take gift cards. I was not really disappointed, I simply paid using some change, but it definitely wrecked the perception of this specific store for me.

With this email I simply want to point out to you, that you rely on the experience that your customer has at Starbucks. I went out of my way to get to the store, waited patiently to receive a coffee just to have "my experience" and perception of Starbucks wrecked by a cashiers system. Is that worth your highest asset?

Best Regards, Hans
_____

I was not able to find the email address of the marketing departement, but lets see what kind of response I will get.

The only real response I'd like to get from them is, to find out that they are installing a new cashiers system in that specific store.

This experiment could be taken further if they don't install a new cash by spreading this post in the marketing community, seeing that Starbucks gets used as a role model very often.

But for now, lets see what happens. If this works out, this will definitely be a lesson in marketing. But already at this point I would like to point out that the experience that your customer has definitely matters and I would love to see more business that are offering environmentally responsible products be aware of the experiential marketing. One very positive example would be Whole Foods. Excellent products with an excellent experience. As a matter of fact, I have a friends that visit the store as a highlight of the day.

I will keep you informed.

PS: "Can Starbucks hear me?"

New Media: Sucking Us Dry?

I've been "studying" and thinking about new media a lot lately. It seems to be the big hype for marketing and it does show reasonable success for those who have it mastered. New media according to the marketers is supposed to enhance community and give you a richer social network.

We must all agree that any one person only has 24 hours per day, in my opinion a lot of lives are suffering under new media, rather then being positively affected and enriched. Husbands spend to much time in front of the computer, rather then spending time with the wife; Kids are showing up late at the dinner table, because the "really really have" to finish the myspace session; wives have to quickly check "one more thing" on facebook, rather then spending time with the baby, etc.

I think it's time to switch off and grab a coffee with our loved ones in real life, rather than having a cyber cup of coffee in second life.

That said, I need to really get of the computer myself. Enjoy your REAL life. :-)