July 31, 2007
Advertisers Want MySpace (even if they do have lot's of child molesters as members)
A little while ago, we menionted the report that MySpace.com discovered 29,000 registered sex offenders were part of that "place for friends."
MySpace.com deleted the accounts, but the question now is whether or not they will be able to stop pedophiles from signing-up under a false identity?
AdAge.com has an interesting article on the topic and I invite you to link to it here. If you've spent any time at MySpace or the others of its kind, you'll quickly see that the social network scene invites and enables excesses and poses real dangers to its younger members.
I'm sticking with my original premise; that we should use social networks as opportunities to spread the gospel. So, stealth evangelists, get out there and get involved! The next wave of sexual deviants are working to rebuild their profiles.
Oh, here is a nice little video offering you'll find there too!
July 28, 2007
Internet Radio – A Bright Future?
Lately, I’ve been listening to an Internet radio station called, Martini in the Morning.
No, it’s not owned by Smirnoff and no, it’s not just in the morning. Our good friend and art director, Virgil Lynn, told me about it one day and I’ve been hooked ever since. But this station and hundreds of others (including music radio stations that stream their programming) are currently in a tug-of-war with the music industry, through its rights management entity Sound Exchange, over money.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for artists and composers of music getting paid for their labors. But it appears that the current structure for Internet broadcasters is a problem. Left unchecked, rising rates will make the cost of music too high and many Internet stations will be forced to go off line (and it's not as if they are swimming in cash right now).
The Internet is expanding and before long wireless access will approach the ubiquity that traditional over-the-air broadcasters (both terrestrial and satellite) enjoy. That’s what makes this tug-of-war so important right now.
Just a few days ago, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) threw its considerable influence behind the Internet broadcasters' (which include many of their radio members) efforts, through the Internet Radio Equality Act, to reduce the rates that the record industry wants.
A growing number of industry observers and analysts sense that the future is bright for the emerging medium. We certainly hope so. The music rate controversy may not affect many of our clients presently, but the precedent these negotiations will set may very well guide subsequent battles over rights and access.
We’ll keep an eye on it. Meanwhile, pass me that Martini (in the Morning.com music).
July 26, 2007
HD to the Masses (like me)
My family is a TiVo family.
It's rare that you pass by our machine and not see the red recording lamp blazing forth in all it's video capturing glory. But, alas, we are not, yet, an HD family. But that will be changing soon.
To help the huddled masses (like me) TiVo has lowered its pricing for its basic HD box. Our hope is that this action will help more quickly usher in affordable HD to the masses (like me).
Tracking Internet Usage Proving to be a Tangled Web
Data... you gotta' love it. Unless it starts to split, fragment, parse and clump in ways that seem to prove a point one moment, then refute it the next.
As we work to better integrate and use the Internet as part of our communication strategy with the folks we serve, accurate and meaningful data becomes more and more important.
In this article from The Associated Press, you'll discover that confusion is growing on how to measure the people that flow through your Internet site.
Tracking Internet Usage Proving to be a Tangled Web
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO: You can do a lot with the Internet — except, it seems, satisfactorily measure how people use it.
Trackers of Internet usage have recently been tinkering with their methodologies in an attempt to properly reflect the ever-changing patterns of Web users and the shifting face of the Internet itself.
Yet instead of providing more clarity, these recent changes are causing confusion among businesses that depend on the information to make ad-spending decisions. The result has been hesitancy to commit more marketing money to the Internet, say advertising executives. That threatens to stifle the continuing surge in Internet ad spending, which numerous sources estimated would increase 25 percent to $22 billion (€16 billion) this year.
Web site publishers and marketing professionals said part of the problem is the continuing failure of major providers of Internet audience data — chiefly Nielsen Co. and comScore Inc. — to adequately explain their recent changes for them.
"It's encouraging to see third parties demonstrating innovation, but it's still an imperfect world," adds Ben Crain, vice president of RAPT, a privately held, San Francisco-based digital advertising consultant and media buyer.
Both companies have made major changes in the way they measure activity on the Web. Nielsen has de-emphasized page views, once its core measurement of Web activity, and instead began focusing on the amount of time spent on a Web site, saying it is a more accurate measurement of user engagement.
ComScore recently began ranking Web sites based on "visits," which it defines as the number of times a person accesses content within a Web site, with breaks between access of at least 30 minutes.
The changes by both companies show each is trying to keep pace with the Internet landscape. Yet they also have created lots of confusion among their customers.
For instance, Nielsen's new time-spent measurement was introduced June 12. There was so much confusion about what Nielsen was doing, it essentially had to reintroduce the measurement two days later.
The first set of rankings using comScore's new metrics shocked many people by vaulting America Online to the top slot in many rankings, supplanting perennial champions Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc., which led to criticism of the new metrics.
"We're still scratching our heads over what they are doing. We're still asking ourselves, 'How exactly are we any better using these reports?'" said Mike Cassidy, chief executive of Undertone Networks Inc., a New York marketing firm.
Meanwhile, their findings continue to be questioned, and flaws continue to emerge.
For example, this month Nielsen said search-engine queries for No. 3-ranked Microsoft Corp. jumped about 80 percent in June, a curious development for a search engine that had been continuously losing market share.
Microsoft said the gains were the result of a word game promotion, in which players had to form words out of a jumble of letters. As part of the game, Microsoft's search engine automatically hunted for Web pages that contained the word being guessed at.
The promotion raises the question of whether these clicks were the result of using automated means, and therefore shouldn't be counted.
Nielsen product manager Scott Ross said the company sees no need to change the June search-engine rankings. Yet, he conceded that critics — including Yahoo, operator of the world's second most popular search engine — may also have a point about Microsoft using questionable means to spark the surge in popularity.
"Is what we do provide the best common denominator that could ever be created?" he said. "Today it's the best common denominator."
Andrew Lipsman, a spokesman for comScore, said the company has made "significant improvements" in the way it measures audience engagement.
"The Internet landscape changes very quickly, and it is always a challenge to keep up, but comScore has proven its ability to respond to and meet these challenges with our continued track record of innovation," he said.
ComScore and Nielsen are the top providers of metrics, but not the only ones. HitWise, NPD Group and others are also a major part of this industry. However, Nielsen and comScore draw the most business, and therefore have the most influence on Internet ad spending.
Every week, it seems, there's a hot new Internet site to scout out or different kind of Internet ad to understand. It can be confounding even for veteran Internet ad buyers.
Without an adequate way of sorting through it all, the resulting confusion threatens to stifle spending, especially in new forms of Internet advertising. That hesitancy favors traditional players, such as Google, and makes it tougher for upstarts to gain traction, experts said.
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Ben Charny is a correspondent of Dow Jones Newswires
Copyright The Associated Press 2007. All Rights Reserved
July 25, 2007
Looking for a Ministry Opportunity?
Consider spending more time plumbing the depths of MySpace.com.
According to an article in AdAge.com, MySpace has identified more than 29,000 registered sex offenders on its social network.
Yikes. A place for friends indeed.
One of my favorite marketing books, Under the Radar by Jonathan Bond and Richard Kirshenbaum, explored the world of effective marketing in non-traditional ways. Perhaps it's time for us to try this approach and get into a little stealth ministry.
Of course, that means you'll have to fight the temptation to put up a banner, develop a logo and "brand" your activity. As a consultant, I can't guarantee that you will bring in donors.
As a father of 5, I want to stop predators. So now I'm wondering -- out loud of course -- if perhaps an under-the-radar tactic would include using social networks such as MySpace to target them with the gospel before they use it to target our children?
Assuming that the ACLU doesn’t have a problem with targeting criminal sex offenders and will restrain itself from claiming your activity is a "church/state" violation, it might just work.
Oh wait; it's under-the-radar! The ACLU won't know!
July 24, 2007
The Legacy Continues
Here at the Hangar, we keep our little victories pretty-much to ourselves. Now, we do like to boast in the Lord (especially about the clients that we are privileged to serve) and we’ve been known to celebrate the victories of others who labor for the cause of Christ. We are, however, a wee-bit reluctant to say much about what we’ve done.
Recently, we quietly passed the second anniversary of one project of which we are especially happy to be a part. Little more than one year ago we began production and distribution of a new radio program featuring the remarkable teaching ministry of Derek Prince we call… Derek Prince Legacy Radio.
From the beginning, we knew we had been asked to do something very special indeed. As we explored the options and trusted that God would lead the development process, we found ourselves creating a wonderful tool for reaching the lost, the hurting and the seeking with the powerful Word of God.
Because of the faith-filled steps of the DPM leadership, an entirely new generation of believers is discovering the solid, biblically-based teaching that Derek Prince brought to an eager audience years earlier. And now Derek’s biography, written by New York Times best-selling author and Derek Prince Legacy Radio host Stephen Mansfield, inspires a growing audience with a captivating story of how God mightily used a willing soul to be His voice here on earth.
Derek Prince Legacy Radio is decidedly not a regurgitation of old teaching tapes. A diligent team crafts each episode so that it taps deeply into scripture, addresses contemporary issues and shows the listener how God will and does touch the believer with life-changing and unmerited power for living.
We celebrate the efforts of Derek Prince Ministries and thank God that we’ve had a small part in writing the next chapter of the wonderful work they do for the cause of Jesus Christ. When you have a moment, pass along a note of congratulations to DPM President, Dick Leggatt and DPLR Executive Producer Chris Selby. These men, and all the folks at DPM, are fighting the good fight day after day.
Fake Reality TV
I'm a fan of The Science Channel program, "Survivor Man," featuring the survival skills of Les Stroud. If you've seen the program, you know that Stroud gets dropped of in some remote environment with a few makeshift tools or supplies and has to survive for seven days AND get himself to civilization. Oh, AND video tape himself with gear he has to carry around.
It's danged impressive.
Lately I've also watched a few episodes of the Discovery Channel's "Man vs. Wild" a similar program starring a Brit with the evocative name of Bear Grylls, (name sounds like a barbecue place in Northern Minnesota.)
I've been less impressed with this guy, in part, because he has a video crew follow him around while he's "surviving." Whenever I see him nestling into the treetop bed he's made for himself out of palm fronds and lizard entrails, I always ask myself, "Where's the camera guy going to sleep?"
Well, now we know. He sleeps at a neaby motel or lodge. As does the star of the show.
A recent article in the Times of London reveals that much of what is depicted on Man vs Wild is staged:
"On another occasion in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains where he was filmed biting off the head of a snake for breakfast and struggling for survival “with just a water bottle, a cup and a flint for making fire”, he actually slept some nights with the crew in a lodge fitted with television and internet access. The Pines Resort at Bass Lake is advertised as “a cosy getaway for families” with blueberry pancakes for breakfast."
Read the whole annoying this here.
If I hear something similar about Les I'll be crushed. But I doubt I will. He's the real deal.
July 21, 2007
Tammy Faye
I never met her but I saw the shattered kingdom that she and Jim Bakker built and ultimately were forced to abandon. Tammy Faye (Bakker) Messner dies at age 65.
Shortly after the PTL ministry went into bankruptcy protection, I was summoned to Charlotte by the court-appointed trustee to help rebuild it.
It was an impossible job and I refer to that period of my family’s life as “The Purgatory.”
For now, I offer my condolences to Tammy Fay Messner’s family. Her public journey often became over-the-top with flamboyant moments, but I believe that she dearly loved God and always wanted to serve Him and ultimately lead others to His side.
Her fight against lung cancer was heroic and now she is in her Maker’s presence and has entered the room in the Mansion that He has prepared.
Here is the last letter she posted to her website:
July 16, 2007
My Dear Friends,
It has been such a long time since I've written and I am so sorry for the long delay. I have been in bed for almost a year now. I have times when I feel good and times when I feel really bad. But, I have learned one thing about feelings. They have NOTHING TO DO WITH FAITH IN GOD!! He is the SAME yesterday, today and forever. He NEVER changes. That is what the Bible says and God's word does not lie EVER.
There have been many days when I felt so terrible with my back and stomach, that I have hardly been able to breath. I cry out to the Lord knowing that many of you are praying for me. In spite of it all, I get dressed and go out to eat. I may only be able to eat one bite, or sometimes ten bites, but I swallow each bite in "faith believing." There are MANY times it doesn't stay with me long at all, but I keep trying and HE helps me.
My daughter is here a lot of the times to give me my medications and to make sure I don't forget. When I got sick, she literally moved in and gave mehugs and kisses that are so needful during this period of ones life. She said, “I want to take care of my Mom.” I gave her the last couple weeks off to go home and spend time with her children, James and John. They are well taken care of while Sissy is gone. My girlfriend, Deborah has been staying with me for the past 3 weeks.
We have been friends for thirty years, so we know each other well! She gave Tammy Sue some much needed rest and she has taken up where Sissy left off. She will be here for two more weeks. How grateful I am to have such strong, loving, support around me. Then of course, there is my wonderful husband! We moved from Charlotte, N.C. to Kansas City, Missouri. He came here every weekend to build me a new house and when I got here, it was ready to move into, bed and all!!
They had it beautiful and it is the most beautiful home I have ever seen. He has wanted to build me a house for 13 years, and I finally let him! His children and grandchildren have come every weekend to visit us, and it is so much fun! Someone I cannot forget is a friend named Daina. She worked so hard, I thought she was going to get sick. Bless her heart. I have to have help eating, bathing, doing my hair, taking my medicine, and help just getting comfortable, which is really hard for me to do.
I try really hard to eat and keep the food down, but sometimes, it is like my throat would just shut down on me, and the food comes right back up. So through all the prayers, I have finally gained some weight. I have gone from 60 pounds, to 65, for which I am very thankful.
I ask in great humbleness that you pray that I will be able to eat without it coming back up. I crave hamburgers and french fries with LOTS of ketchup! When I can eat that again, it will be a day of victory!
In closing, I want you to know that I am praying for you and your loved ones and I am believing God for complete healing. God is a healer of EVERYTHING!
I will let you know when I get to eat my hamburger! HA!
Love,
Tammy Faye
July 20, 2007
I Repent
Ok. Perhaps my prior entry was a little too sarcastic.
Actually, I've found the British to be some of the most fervent Christ followers and cheerful givers. So, I do apologise (that's how they spell it) for my earlier fit of caustic comedy.
The USA is a mission field as is the UK. That's why together, we should plant, water and harvest.
Amen.
(But please, please for the love of cheese let that poor girl wear her ring!)
Royal Ruckus
I love the British. They are always pulling those Monty Python-type pranks like the one they're pulling on this girl.
It seems that she is a wanton lawbreaker. Her egregious offense? Wearing a promise ring.
Submitted for your reading enjoyment, I offer up a blog posting and a newspaper article.
And they say that America is the new mission field?
July 19, 2007
Web Watching Helps TV Viewing?
What? The flowing streams of rich, vibrant e-videos are doing what?
I noticed a few recent articles in TV Week and The Hollywood Reporter which cited a new study conducted by the Nielsen Co.
It’s findings, prepared for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, revealed that nearly 63% of broadband customers watch video on the Internet. That comes to 81 million people.
Wow.
The study cites that from September 2006 to March 2007, web video viewing has increased a whopping 16 percent.
Geeze.
But here is the interesting part; The study found that Web video viewing actually complements watching TV.
Huh?
Apparently, 33% of web-watchers reported that Internet viewing increased their TV viewing time while only 13% indicated the opposite.
So are Internet video streams just big billboards on the information highway? Probably not, but at least we have some evidence to prove that the thoughtful (and plenteous) use of the web will further help our broadcast endeavors.
I get to say it again: It’s a great time to be a programmer!
July 17, 2007
Going Viral
For more than ten years now, marketeers have been touting the use of the Internet as the new medium of opportunity. We agree and still feel that way too. But one facet of it that makes me wince from time-to-time is called "Viral."
In this article from Advertising Age, one voice of dissent speaks out. For my part, content remains king. At its core, Viral Marketing is basically electronic word-of-mouth promotion and if you don't have something to say or show... well, you understand.
Take a look and see for yourself here.. (Requires a free subscripton to AdAge.com.)
July 16, 2007
Romney's TV Ad Strategy
Mitt Romney has a new TV/Video Ad up on YouTube. I'm not sure if this was specifically created for online viewing or if it is actually airing in some markets—but it certainly takes a fresh approach.
You don't actually see the candidate until the very end, though Romney's voice is heard throughout.
I've seen this ad criticized in a few places this morning but I like it. I think it's quite effective. Have a look:
July 15, 2007
The Other New Phone
Buried under all the hype and hoopla about the release of the first Apple I-Phones, was an announcement by T-Mobile about a new type of phone and phone service.
Their new T-Mobile Hotspot @Home service and phone basically give you unlimited free calling any time you're in a T-Mobile Hotspot. For people who talk on their mobiles a lot AND spend a lot of time in Hotspots, this could save them a ton of money.
The NYT has a review here.
July 03, 2007
It's a Girl!
Our warmest congratulations go out to Brent and Stephanie Evans of MarriageToday on the birth of their first child yesterday.
Welcome Kate Sophia Evans to a crazy world and congratulations on being entrusted to such great parents.
UPDATE:
Brent is posting photos of the new princess on his personal blog: www.brentonevans.com .
More on the HD Format Wars
This just in . . .
European bureaucrats, ever on the look out for someone actually competing and winning in business (this must be stop) are investigating the marketing practices of the companies involved in the HD Format race.