Facebook: Utility for Revolutions

Facebook page Honor Revolution encouraged Palestinians to protest against Hamas brutality in the Gaza Strip today. I couldn't search for the name on facebook, either. Can't wait until facebook starts advertising or monetizing its successes, whichever comes first:

It's easy. It's fast. It's facebook! Only $19.99 for a yearly membership, Start your revolution today.

But, oh wait. It will probably never do either of those things, because it will be too busy becoming it's own version of an advertising agency--Advertising 6.0.

Case in point. Check out this "success story" on the comprehensive Advertising page of facebook's website:

So basically, whether you're a small business or behemoth advertiser, facebook will knock all other interactive marketing tactics on their bum. After all, facebook is about directing advertising to the persona of You. You in this case being, well You.

As long as Mark Zuckerberg continues to lord over the majority of ownership, it's hard to argue with a business model like that. At least for the moment.

I Heard You Say

Watch out for the fur brigade! New video featuring the Vivian Girls.



Their latest album, Share The Joy, is out 4/12 via Polyvinyl.

It's 4AM Somewhere

Perhaps one of my new favorite fashion blogs, fashion designer alice + olivia's "4AM Finds" is a compilation of eye candy like those found in a magazine editorial.

And ingenious in nature: One imagines the blogger herself scouring the web at 4 AM from a late night out, not yet ready for sleep. A mention in Mashable's 7 Stellar Examples of Branded Content from the Fashion Industry.

Cinematic Inspiration

Film logo fetish's dream.

Double Meaning

The Nissan Juke iAd was put together in an interactive comic-book style format:

Nissan Juke iAd Demo from Garrett M. Smith on Vimeo.

juke

1. a move intended to deceive (an opponent).

2. feint, usually intended to deceive a defensive player.

EXAMPLE: I would have told you the boss's critique of our work, but I decided to juke you instead and take all the credit.

What's the Big Idea?

A new book out, "The Idea Writers", is based on the new challenges copywriters face in interactive advertising.

A key project management concept is being able to turn a problem into an opportunity. The author mentions a similar and relevant process for creatives:

Nancy Vonk, co-chief creative officer of Ogilvy Toronto, says her message to her agency's creatives is "to think of themselves as problem solvers, not ad makers. Ideally, begin every assignment looking directly at the business problem (or opportunity) and push up against that with media-neutral thinking. If a client has asked for a print ad or banner ad or whatever specific medium, ignore that and look for a big idea. A great idea that truly solves the problem will be able to channel into that print ad, etc. The client will see the specific medium they requested, but in the context of a holistic solution that can potentially inform many spaces.

This excerpt, posted on Ad Age, goes on to mention every consumer is a media producer, nowadays. So if consumers are more and more often content or media producers, where does that leave an interactive producer? Is he or she just a consumer, like everyone else? Every interactive producer is bound to manage the creative process, to a certain extent, but it's a matter of balance. Too much involvement (or too little) can leave the final outcome of a project lopsided.

Erroneous Floating Ad of the Day

Please note the Clarisonic ad on the right hand of the screenshot above. Upon landing on the Marie Claire website, the little wand there dances across your computer screen.

I am not going to tell you what I thought that little wand was at first. I will just let you consider the shocking and deceptive nature of this Floating Ad.