It’s fascinating to see what Big Tobacco does to market itself nowadays (to adult smokers only, natch), given all the restrictions these companies face. And now they’re joining the user-generated-media craze. The image here was from an e-mail I received after signing up for a mailing list (and verifying my age, and saying I smoke). If you’re under 18 or a non-smoker, navigate away now, before you accidentally become swayed by the marketing message.
Marketing
On Joining FM
Yes, it‘s true (as if you doubted it). I’m joining FM Publishing as author services manager, to work with John Battelle and his team on developing this next-generation publishing company.
Why? One of my earliest experiences in the Internet ad world was as intern/writer/ad sales person at @NY. I got the ad sales part of the job (and all the rest) courtesy of Tom Watson, who I’d met while finishing up my masters in journalism at Columbia. One of the more important things I learned (besides that I was not cut out for selling) was how difficult it was for agencies to buy ads across niche Web sites. No matter how engaged and influential their audiences, it was just plain logistically difficult to buy across all those sites. And that was 1998, before the explosion in blogs, and their accompanying engaged, influential (but niche) audiences. That’s one of the issues FM is looking to address.
Why else? I’ve spent the years since that experience thinking and writing about interactive advertising, watching the boom, the flameout and the subsequent rise. Joining FM is an opportunity for me to apply everything I’ve learned over the years about advertising and about managing writers. It’s also a great chance to work with brilliant, dedicated people who have a strong vision of the future of publishing. Needless to say I’m especially looking forward to getting to know the authors, many of whom I feel I know already through reading their compelling writing. I’m really eager to start helping them realize their dreams for their sites.
One of the things I had to really look at when considering this opportunity was whether I’d miss writing. I’ve helped with writing news and authored a bi-weekly column since 2001. I looked back recently over the archives of what I’ve written for ClickZ, and the sheer volume is amazing. Thankfully, FM, as you might expect, is supportive of my blogging, so I’ll have The River as an outlet for my musings. Not sure exactly how often I’ll be posting or what shape it’ll take, but give me time to get my feet wet and together we’ll see what emerges. (Feedback is always welcome, of course.)
I’m still at ClickZ for the next week. Then I’ll take a whole day (!) off to do yoga and nap (or something equally relaxing), and I start at FM on August 1. To all you FM authors out there, I look forward to working with you!
Will Someone Please Tell Starbucks?
Wendy’s is reportedly abandoning the “Biggie” name for its large soft drinks. A spokesman explained: “We felt like the Biggie designation is not what most customers were used to. Most people were used to small, medium and large.” Amen.
UPDATE: Friends have mentioned that this is actually a ploy by Wendy’s to get people to buy bigger sodas. I knew that. Just wanted to take the opportunity to stick up for “small,” “medium” and “large” as perfectly adequate words to describe drink sizes.
Local Online Marketing
Spotted this in the Mediterranean food place next to where the EFF debate was held last night. It’s a small place and this was posted prominently enough that I saw it from outside the door. Now that’s a local merchant who “gets” online.
The Not-So-Scary IRS
Talk about changing brand perception. I had to steel myself yesterday before placing an important call… to the IRS. We’d gotten a notice from the post office that a certified letter from the much-feared agency had arrived for us, but by the time we went to pick it up, it had been sent back. Much as I longed to ignore it, I had to face up to the situation. So I called.
Surprisingly, I got to speak to a real person in not too long, after a reasonable amount of number-pressing. The matter related to our family business. We’d been late filing paperwork and owed a small penalty. So the woman I spoke with told me how to pay, but added that since we’d never had the problem in the past, we could simply write a note asking to have the penalty removed. “Really?” I asked, incredulous.
While she had me on the phone, I wrote up the note. She gave me her fax number; I faxed it over. She went to check her machine, and removed the penalty then and there. There was actually a moment when I doubted I’d called the right agency. Was this really the IRS?
Amazing how a bit of good customer service (and, I guess, a bribe in the form of penalty removal) has dramatically changed my perception of the IRS. Now if only the INS, or whatever it’s called now (USCIS) could do the same.
Post-Super Bowl CGM
No, this isn’t about the ads. I’m saving ad stuff for ClickZ and the ClickZ Blog. But isn’t it great that we live in a media environment in which Pittsburgh Steelers fans can personally thank quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for his performance, in the comments on his blog. I like it.
Unfortunately, I missed many of the ads (and the accompanying game) due to a certain nearly-seven-month-old who hasn’t yet developed an appreciation for media and popular culture. He mostly still appreciates milk. And is developing a healthy relationship with bananas.