TV and Reading Still Top the Lists

An eMarketer article, TV and Reading are Consumer Faves, states that US consumers continue to rank TV and reading at the top of their favorite leisure activities list with computers named as fourth fave on the list.  So much for the demise of Books!  Also, as an aside, turns out we are working less hours, spending 45 hours per work on the wheel instead of the 50 reported in 2004.   

Facebook Does an About-Face

Just two weeks ago Facebook, in a desire to translate its popularity into profits, announced a new advertising system called Beacon.  As Louis Story and Brad Stone write in their New York Times article, Facebook Retreats on Online Tracking, the controversial advertising system was designed to send messages to users’ friends about what they are buying on the web.  Designed with no easy way for users to opt out, Facebook member began to protest, culminating in more then 50,000 Facebook members signing a protest demanding a one click opt-out feature.  Facebook has responded to the protest, announcing last week that they will not send messages about users’ internet activities without first getting explicit approval each time.

 Like many companies online who have nurtured the  principle of Give and You Shall Receive, Facebook have invested in the ‘Give’ and are now trying to figure out how to start generating income for the ‘Get’.   Here’s hoping the next effort will be less clunky and that Facebook users continue to be forgiving.

Pepperidge Farm Goes all Social on Us – With Cookies!

Now, this one strikes me as a stretch.  Pepperidge Farm wants to get in on the social media da kine by creating their own social network web site, artofthecookie.com.  The web site, part of a larger campaign “connecting through cookies” is meant, as Stuart  Elliott reports in a New York Times article, to help women improve their social lives.  Michael Siomn, VP and GM at Pepperisdge Farm snacks division in Norwalk, CT says the initiative is based on a desire to move from one-way communication to having a dialogue with consumers.  Who knows, maybe they will hit a nerve and women across the country will love being a part of this cosy tea party and feel their lives are enriched – over a cookie.  What do you think?

Amazon Unveils Electronic e-Book Kindle – But Will Screen Tired Eyes Make the Switch

Catherine McCarthy of C/Net News.com reports, today, at the New York Press Conference held at New York’s W Hotel in Union Square, Amazon unveiled it’s new digital book reader, Kindle.  Weighing in at 10.3 ounces, less than a paper back, and selling for $399, Amazon hopes to move analog book readers to digital books.  Over 90,000 titles are available for download with new releases costing $9.99.  No e-book reader has ever been a success and to my mind I can see why.  I don’t know about you, but I find digital screens a strain on my eyes after a while and the thought of staring at yet another screen is not something I look forward to with a sense of pleasure.  I would much rather grab a book, which is to me a much warmer experience, engaging my senses of touch and smell along with sight.  The demise of books has been a topic since the digital revolution began – but I still hold that books are here to stay.  It will be interesting to see which demographics, if any, grab onto this new addition to the digital information world.

MC Hammer Creates Online Community for Dancers

Eliot Van Buskirk at Wired reports that MC Hammer is starting his own social network website,  DanceJam. Hammer’s site will combine the popularity of dance with the important web principle of creating community to provide what is now standard social network capabilities along with dance related features including dance tutorials and dance contests.

Hulu.com Caught on the Razor’s Edge – Join the Movement Online but Stay in Control

AdAge Mediaworks’ Brian Steinberg writes that Hulu.com, the on-line video site backed by NBC Universal and News Corp. is exploring (as so many are) the best way to harness the power of the internet. But as with much of the world tapping into this platform frontier, getting the balance of being open to the principles guiding the web and yet wanting to stay in control can make for quite the razor’s edge. The site will not allow for user-generated content uploads or sharing – this is a straight brand purity site.

OOPS! Netflix Leaves Mac Users Out in the Cold – Wrong Way to Do Cross Platform

Netflix, in its desire to stay ahead of the pack has started offering their customers “Watch Instantly” service making 5,000 plus movies and TV show episodes available online – but only if you are PC owner. It’s a no go for anyone with a Mac. Now, I am happy that Netflix has made this cross-platform move but you would have thought, with the current technology available and the gaining marketing share of Apple, they would have put a little more effort into it and gone with an option that serves all their customers – you know – the ones that are all paying the same amount for the service – instead of creating a whole 2nd class of p—– off customers.

Now, Netflix has announced it’s desire, in a Mike Musgrove Washington Post article, to move away from their red envelopes and 100% online. I agree with Mr. Musgrove, especially after being left out of the online party already, that it’s going to be a l-o-n-g time before I give my envelopes and trust Netflix to deliver online.

The Beginning of the End

Came across Angela Natividad’s Adrants post Beppe Grillo reports that Italian politician Ricardo Franco Levi has proposed a law that requires anyone with a blog or website to register with the government and produce certificates or pay a tax. Now this strikes at the core of Internet Laws of Nature.

Friday Stuffs – OMG, Could They Be More Boring?

I realize all the major TV companies are still trying to work out their digital offerings, but what I can’t understand is the apparent lack of attention to the quality of ads being served up. What demographic are they trying to speak to? Do they think the current ads are engaging their targeted audiences? I don’t know about you, but with the exception of a rare ad I just turn the sound off and count to 30 – they are just SO drab and dull. Ad Age TV Editor Brian Steinberg in his article, Dissecting “Grey’s Anatomy” gives marketers advice to determine the best showcase for their ads and products. How about putting some quality attention on the web spots?