Sprint's Widgets

Please tell me someone else has seen this site. If not, go play now. I learned the wonders of this widget-filled playground from someone at the office.

Learn how much money is being spent online at the moment, how many bicycles are being produced worldwide or how many cases of malaria are spawning (ok that one is gross). Although the last thing I need is another mindless site to occupy my otherwise busy days (yep-there is a different puppy cam on this site) I still love a good find like this one. This however does not make me want to switch Sprint. Cool site never trumps crappy service. Sorry GS&P.

What do you think? While waiting for your comments I'll be busy tracking the number of people getting stuck in elavators.

Fail Monday: Amazon AdWords

Yes I was Googlin' myself, but why is Amazon dynamically bidding on my last name?

SPOTLIGHT: Hunt Adkins

Welcome to Yaybia's newest series- Spotlight on Minneapolis Agencies. The inspiration for this new series is from the lovely Advergirl. The Minneapolis area is home to over 300 ad agencies and consultants, all with a variety of specialties and clients. It's about time we pay due to this city we call home.

To kick off this series we'll start with my very own agency: Hunt Adkins. HA is a small agency located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. They are ranked number 13 of the top earning agencies in Minneaoplis. Included in their past clients is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, AdFed, ABC Sports and Northwest Airlines. Their current client list includes Northern Tool + Equipment, Bard's Tale Beer, Griffin International Companies, American Red Cross and recently added to their roster is Nutrisoda. Check out some of their fabulous work on their site. Here are some pics of the crib.

Enter, if you dare.

The conference room: where lots of important executive decisions go down.

Oooooo Awards.

Some Holiday Swag.

The following interview is with co-founder and CEO, Patrick Hunt. Previous to HA, Patrick worked in both account management and account planning at Fallon McElligott. Check it:




As an intern for HA, I've been extremely lucky to work with not only an intelligent but often entertaining bunch of people. Stay tuned for more Agency Spotlights this week!

Cell Phone Evolution Mash-Up!

Happy Friday! We know that your brains are probably dead like ours. And in need of some Friday beer. So we won't make you think. Just check out the cell phone evolutions. If you didn't get a chance to submit yours we'd love to see what you've got in the comments.

This wasn't a contest but we like awards.

Earliest adopter and biggest tech fail goes to MJ! (MJ = Libby's mom)
Zune Award: Jameson
Least prone to breakage: Alicia
The John Kerry flip flop award: Minneapolis Michael
Most generic: Panchomill
Most Asian influence: Johnny Bones

Yaybia Asks Advergirl About Social Media

This is a video response to the two videos that Advergirl posted this week. She asked readers to submit more questions, so here are some of ours. If any of our readers have questions for us, we'd love to hear them!



Better source file can be found here!

Google Themes

I know Yaybia ladies are avid Gmail users, so I'm curious as to what everyone thinks about the new themes. While I have no problems changing the colors of my Gmail, I think some of the graphical themes could be a little much. While I thouroughly enjoy the "candy" theme, I feel it might be a distraction when sending out my resume and cover letter... 

Anyone know who makes up these themes? And can you tell me what they were thinking when creating the "Bus Stop" one?

I Knew That Fail Whale Looked Devious....

Nothing has quite fired me up more than when I checked my Google Reader the other day, only to find that in my “MediaBistro: PRNewser” feed was an article with this offending question “Do We Need PR Anymore Now That We Have Social Media?” If I wasn’t going to sound crazy at work in my little cubicle, I probably would have jumped up and yelled, “UM, YES?????”

I calmed myself a little bit when I realized that the article was sparked from a panel discussion called "Is Social Media Killing PR?" which recently took place at The Horn Group to address the issue of social media and PR’s relationship.

The event was inspired by the growing number of blogs questioning the necessity of PR in this time of a social media boom. As the Horn Group described the event in an online invitation:

“Jason Calacanis thinks you should fire your PR agency. Robert Scoble thinks you should ignore it. Michael Arrington says PR is "broken." Jeremiah Owyang sees value in it, but has challenged PR people and their critics "to engage in a head on discussion".”

Possibly feeling the same sense of fiery objection that I did, Girls in Tech and The Horn Group got together, gathered a panel, and decided to tackle this issue head on against critics of PR and with advocates of the profession (you can catch a liveblog of the event HERE).

A great point brought up is the fact that social media is a TOOL. Public relations is so much more than that. In public relations, we use every communication tool at our disposal to get a message out to the public. We have strategy, we have tactics, and we have contacts that ordinary people may not have the access to.

There is one way I feel that social media could threaten public relations: if as professionals, we ignore its importance as a tool and do not make the effort to learn how to use it in the right way. Already though, agencies are working to understand the growing medium to its fullest.

Padilla Speer Beardsley, for instance, has created a team of social media experts within the agency called the SMERF team (Social Media Elite Response Force). The team holds frequent meetings to share new social media findings, and to educate those in the agency who wish to learn more about different types of social media. In the crunch of a new client pitch, the team can be called upon to generate ideas and help others understand the medium. In December, the group plans to hold a Social Media Boot Camp, so that all who wish to become proficient with this tool, can. (I get to give a speech about Twitter…. I love my job).

If agencies keep up to date on this medium, then I see no reason why we can not coexist peacefully, despite the grumblings of Jason Calacanis and others. Social media is another tool for strategic communications to use to spread a message. In the end, what really matters is that you have a good message that people are willing to listen to and take seriously. Kara Swisher of the Wall Street Journal’s “All Things D” said it best at the end of the panel discussion:

“What's important is that you're representing a company that genuinely has a good product. You cannot (do) PR (on) a crappy product and it doesn't matter how many press releases you get on a website. All that really matters is that you have a really good product. I don't remember the last time I picked up the phone and went ‘Oh my God, it's a communication tool...’ Focus on the product!”

Ask Me What Happened

I haven't been to Ask.com (or Ask Jeeves as I once knew it) in a looooooooooooong time (I'm gonna say since 2005?), but in the course of my tasks today, I ended up there. What I saw made me want to venture to one of my favorite sites/time wasters on the internet: Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. It shows you what a website looked like on a certain date. Here is a rough timeline for Ask.com that I created from their archives:


Notice the obvious progression towards basically a copy of everyone's favorite Search Engine, whose clean, simple homepage hasn't really changed much at all in the last 10 years:



I kinda miss Jeeves....

Here are some more website evolution favs. Any other websites whose evolution from conception to today that interest you?

In an Absolut World

As I furiously wrote my cases paper last night, I took a step back and realized something. Absolut has done some of the coolest sh*t ever. Not only does their brand tagline "In An Absolut World" invite viewers to create their own idealized visions, it asks them to be submitted and possibly realized. In an Absolut world, everyone is a visionary.

Take Helmut Lang for example. His vision was for everyone to be able to experience art as if they were able to see it in a museum. His digital exhibit "Alles Gleich Shwer" is an interactive gallery of Lang's work.

And Improv Everywhere felt that in an Absolut world, everyone would be welcomed home. View their realized vision here. If I had 20 strangers welcome me home at the airport, I'd be brand loyal to Absolut forever.

Ok one more. Here's the latest visionary by Jim Denevan. In his Absolut world, cities would farm. To make this vision possible, he teamed up with Absolut to host a dinner in NYC that featured food grown in the five boroughs. Check out some press.

In my Absolut world, I'd be able to afford one of these. Please share some of your visions.

The (Online) Tipping Point: Influencers, Who are They?

I've been thinking a lot about influencers lately so this has become another "Erin read good book and wants to learn more by applying it to her life" post.  As I stay up for the better part of the night writing a paper related to this very topic, I'm going to throw out some comments (brain vomit) here as well.  Might as well make it a two for one right!?

In the real world, influencers are built based on experiences, knowledge, and by having the right resources, but online, we all start at the same level.  No one is born into Twitter with 1,000 followers.  No one magically has the skills to create blogs that are all of a sudden linked to from all over the interwebs.  No one is trusted. No one knows you. 

So how do online influencers become, well, influential? For this, influencers are a mix of the types of people referenced in The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell (connectors, mavens, salesmen). Here's what I think matters in becoming an influener, but I'd love to hear your opinions also!

Timeliness: If you are the first one to share a link you are going to have an impact on those that click.  You have now earned a point towards becoming an influential person for that particular subject/event/etc.  Having the ability to find and share has become almost as influential as writing the content itself.


Relevancy: You need to share the right stuff.  I wouldn't come here and write a full post about puppy cam even though I might really want to express how much I love it.  I come here to write about advertising, media, branding, and the interwebs.  I share ideas that are relevant for me and you. 

Friends: Without people to share things with, you're still nothing.  You could have the best ideas in the world and if no one knows, they might as well not exist.  So uh, good thing we have at least 3 loyal readers. (Thanks Ben, John, Dirk, and Sylvie!)

Energy: I could have said stamina, longevity, or experience, but it's more about being excited about what you're doing and having the drive to continue doing that.  If you hit it and quit it you probably shouldn't have even warmed up.  Stick with it, establish yourself, and when you have an idea go for it. 

Passion: If you aren't truly passionate about what you're doing, people will see right through you.  This can mean having strong opinions, battling with other bloggers, or just geeking out about something that you love.  Your passion will be shared with those that you connect with. Or in other words, just <3.


Ok that's it, your turn. Comments. Ready, break!

Call For Entries

In case you missed it, Yaybia would love to see your own cell phone evolutions! Send us links to the pics and we'll post on Friday!

Skip it

If you are having a tough week (cause you hurt your knee real bad, for example) this precious piece is just perfect for you. It's like zen: It will help you to channel your pent-up aggression and focus it on Mr. Keen. At the same time it will make you laugh.



I am not assuming Mr. Keen is condescending enough to read this, but in case he does (solely for research of course): Yes, I am writing that I consider your tirade unconsidered and embarassing. Nobody forces you or anybody else to do anything online. There is a lot of nonsense or things you would probably consider nonsense and even more sex on the internet. But it's out there in the real world, too. I know that this might be a shock for you, but some people actually like that kind of stuff. The internet doesn't create itself, it just reflects. And as you probably know from your own experience, there are a lot of offline-idiots.

Who do you suggest should control (i.e. censor) the web and tell users what they should know and like? Journalists? Government? Corporations? You? I highly doubt that facebook and co killed your always neutral, up-to-date, high-quality neighborhood newspaper. Maybe you wanna live in North Korea: Free from the Internet. Free from that annyoing idea of democracy, where everybody gets to participate in the way they please. And free from free market, where services and products that people actually use and like are the most successful.

Mr. Keen, if you are reading this, please don't be offended and send the forces of moral hell or legal prosecution my way. You know better, you are better, for I am just a dumb, unconsidered blogger. I don't even understand what I am writing here and neither do the readers of this blog (except you, Mr. Know-it-all, of course). Now, if I would say those sentences out loud on the radio it would be a completely different thing. But even in that case, I would advise you to make no attempts to morally convert or legally accuse me. I live outside your lawyers' and your moral's jurisdiction.

Cell Phone Evolution: Erin Edition

2001

2003

2004

2005

2007



2008

Cell Phone Evolution: Libby Edition

2000:

2002:

2004:

2004:

2005:

2006:

2006:

2006:

2007:

Gap expands product lines so you can match your argyle sweatervest to your mode of transportation.

Gap has recently expanded their product line from jeans and argyle sweater vests to include argyle bikes! Now you can match your bike to your outfit (but right now it is only available in blue argyle).




I want to know what you guys think of this. While I am generally a fan of product line expansion, I think that Gap patters and designs fit great on fabric, and I'm not so sure about bikes.

Like Brands Need Another Reason Why to Pay Attention to Social Media

Motrin. I wouldn't imagine an ad campaign for it that has nothing to do with associated health risks or recalls could enrage a community of social networkers, but it has. Look at Twitter posts for Motrin. I searched for it, and 22 new posts were added in less than a minute after I first searched. People are certainly talking, and they are opinionated.

The comments were so scathing that motrin.com took down their website Sunday night (though some thought it should have been down sooner) and have still not restored it, but you can still view the source of the controversy here:



There have even already been some parodys:



Normally, Johnson & Johnson top Best Brand lists, including Working Mother magazine. They have named Johnson & Johnson one of the “Top 100 Companies for Working Mothers” every year since the list was initiated 21 years ago. This Motrin campaign, however, seemed to strike a sour note with Moms, and they used social media to voice their concerns.

Wearing your baby is not suddenly in fashion, people have been doing it for forever. People are upset that Motrin makes them feel like bad parents. They understand the point Motrin was trying to make, but feel it was made in a tacky way.

Just goes to show you that even the most respected companies can have a blunder every once in a while.

UPDATE: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/11/we-feel-your-pa.html

Monetizing Twitter

Be A Magpie is a new ad network for Twitter. Twitterers can sign up with Be A Magpie and earn money based on how many followers they have and how often they tweet. Advertisers can sign up with Be A Magpie and have their message incorporated into relevant Tweets. The default is that about every 5 tweets on your page or so Be A Magpie will insert an ad into the feed from one of their advertisers, though you can adjust the ratio. 

Personally, I am only worth about 0.31 Euros ($0.39) per ad served on my Twitter account. Bummer. To up my worth I need to get more followers and Twitter more.

Be A Magpie is not affiliated with Twitter, but they've monetized them in a way Twitter has yet to do. Now their success depends on a person's desire to allow ads to infiltrate their feeds.

Temporary Brands: Friday [brain]Food

I apologize for my Yaybia hiatus, it’s just been one of those weeks. But there have a been a few thoughts that I’ve been meaning to share. I shall do so with some Friday [brain]Food for Thought.

Last week I attended the Ypulse Mashup East. Met some awesome people and learned more about my generation that I thought possible. Today’s insight comes from Spencer of Virtue Worldwide . During his keynote he brought up an idea that I hadn’t really ever thought of before.

“Do brands have to last forever? Maybe they should only last for a short period of time and make the most of it.”

Pretty bold statement. But pretty awesome. I have two examples that I thought of right away, MTV and Mountain Dew. Other soda companies are known for this as well, but I guess I’m craving some sugar so I’m Doin’ the Dew.

MTV: By thriving on capturing trends, exploiting them to the masses, and then killing them, MTV has developed a business model that exists largely because of their ability to change. While their parent brand keeps the same positioning (being a pop culture trendsetter), their sub brands come and go. TRL is the most relevant today because of its recent cancellation , but many shows have started, saturated, and sayonara’d. This strategy works for MTV because of generational shifts. TRL was cool for kids that had their see through Vtech phones (don’t tell me you didn’t have one) and would call in while drooling over Carson Daly. But the next wave of kids ditched their land lines for their Nokia bricks (again, you know you had one) and quickly began to move towards texting based interaction. Personally, I think MTV should have killed TRL when Carson left, or after that whole Limp Bizkit phase. Skip it.

Mountain Dew: With sub brands ranging from short lived Dew Fuel to blockbuster driven Darth Dew, Mountain Dew is a master of short lived brands . What works for them is that many consumers will at least hit it and quit it (trial purchase) because they know that the sub brand won't be around forever. Others that can't get enough of their MDX will actively pursue brand purchases, and Mountain Dew is also aware of the relationship of these sub brands with the parent brand. They avoid brand dilution by temporarily expanding their product set instead of creating an arsenal of sub brands that has the firing power of dive bar buck hunter.

I think the idea relates really well with what companies can do with sub brands and products -- I'm still unsure of how you could churn brands after a period of time. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them.

UPDATE -- Can't believe I didn't think of this until now, but our very own Minneapolis agency Space 150 is the best example I can think of for brands that adapt and radically change quite frequently. AND our very own Jacey works there! I've been to a few of the re-branding parties an they're quite fun. Everyone is excited and supports the demand for pushing themselves to be more innovative. What better way to show your clients/community that you're able to transform brands than by using yourself as an example?!

I Shouldn't Be So Shocked, But I Am

Erin: reversecowgirlblog.blogspot.com
ummmm right rail banner ad for american apparel...

me: WAIT IS THAT A NIPPLE

Erin: YES

YES IT IS

me: THAT'S A NIPPLE

Erin: IIIII KNOW

ON A BANNER AD

me: NIPPLE!

Australian Kotex Ads tap into our inner beaver

Animated furry friends still work (I mean those puppy's on the puppy cam could sell me anything!) Here is a great example of a friendly Beaver from our friends down under:



A real thank you from the girls at Yaybia, for keeping our Yaybia's...well, Yaybia's.