April 23, 2008
So, this is what I do for living
Have you ever struggled explaining your grandparents what you do for living?
- So, what do you do for work?
- I work in marketing
- Well, yes, but what do you do?
- I sort of get in in the morning, open my computer, read what other people have written me and write back, talk to people, attend a few meetings and then go home.
- But what do you do for work?
That thing. And this is not even trying to explain what user journey marketing is. Even most of my friends need a lengthy explanation, or just give up. How lucky I am then that at least for some time I can actually explain what I do. Meet Skype's new subscriptions.
It was pure bliss to work with incredibly smart and fast working people on messaging and promotion of these. Even better, people seem to like the product. It helps to talk about the weather (or what the dog ate for breakfast) in grater detail than has ever been possible before for millions of people around the world that still like their landlines. How nice is that!
I am looking forward to the next conversation with my grandparents.
April 16, 2008
Ad of the week award
...goes to horror movie channel 13th Street in Hamburg. Medium so well mixed with the message that witty copy is almost too much. But of course it isn't.
I bet that cost per contact is ridiculously high. But what a contact that is. Pissed off or politely surprised, everyone that participates in this ad (an expression you don't hear too often) is bound to tell their buddies back at the bar. Add the odd blogger here and there and not only is such a thing more fun to do, it actually gets you more bang for the buck.
April 15, 2008
The perfect headline
Hats off to this piece of copywriting that has all the element of salesy copy. The two years I spent writing ads for the weekly Eesti Ekspress don't even come close to this masterpiece which will inevitably become a classic and will be taught in all writing schools on all continents. The only question remains if this is for the class of Do's or Dont's.
April 14, 2008
April 13, 2008
Esimene eestikeelne blogispämm
Sain sel nädalal esimese eestikeelse spämmkommentaari. Esiti mõtlesin, et selle sündmuse peaks jätma anonüümseks, nii nagu kunagi Artemise templi süüdanud Herostratos pidi jääma nimetuks, aga lugu ei ole nii lihtne. Niisiis faktid:
9. aprillil kirjutas keegi nimega hambaravi http://www.kliinik32.ee siiasamma kommentaari sisuga hambaravi http://www.kliinik32.ee. Selle kellegi (õigemini millegi, sest sõnum tundub kuidagi ... masinlik) meiliaadressina oli märgitud kliinik32@kliinik32.ee, veebiaadressina http://www.kliinik32.ee ja IP-aadressiks oli salvestunud 217.159.130.212. Kui guugeldada ja see brauserisse sisestada, tundub tegu olevat Tartu aadressiga, mis on kuidagipidi Estikoga seotud.
Kirjutasin nii märgitud meiliaadressile kui kliiniku üldmeiliaadressile, tänasin neid kommentaari eest ja küsisin, miks ja kuidas nad niimoodi kommenteerivad. Blogikommentaaris toodud meiliaadressi ei olnud olemas, aga üldiselt aadressilt sain vastuse:
Tere,
Vabandame Kliinik 32 nimel tehtud kommentaari eest. Kahjuks ei ole me tuvastanud, kes sellise kommentaari tegi. Info saamisel teavitame Teidki.
Head,
Liina Mägi
Administraator
Kas tõesti kirjutas spämmkommentaari keegi lihtsalt segaduse külvamiseks? Kõlab veidi uskumatuna. (Ja kui see on tõsi, kas selle kohta võiks öelda spämm spämm?) Raske on uskuda ka seda, et piltide järgi toredatel hambaarstidel ei ole raha tasulise reklaami tegemiseks ja nad kasutavad meelega sama taktikat nagu viagramüüjad. Või siis on kuskil lihtsalt mingi ulakas turundusinimene, kes tegutses enne kui mõtles. Ei tea. Aga kui sina sellest kliinikust, nende veebifirmast või sellest IP-aadressist midagi rohkem tead, kirjuta palun. Spämmijad ilusasti ahju.
April 10, 2008
Võida Laine Jänese allkirjaga jalgpall!
Robin palus sõna levitada, et selline kampaania on toimumas. Võid võita praktilise sporditarviku, mille väärtust minu meelest ei kahanda seegi, et seal on Hannahi ja Laine Jänese allkirjad peal. Aga mis minu meelest tähtsam - ära viska koguaeg oma vana tavaari ära ja osta uut, vaid uuskasuta ning taaskasuta. Selleni, et saame kolida Veenusel asuvasse suvilasse läheb veel aega; seni peab jalge all oleva planeediga heaperemehelikult käituma.
April 9, 2008
Millest on tehtud miilid?
Leedu lennufirma teeb neid merevaigust. Eks suurtes rahvusvahelistes firmades kipuvad sellised tõlked ja lokaliseerimised kohati kohmakad välja kukkuma, isegi suurtes Leedu rahvusvahelistes firmades. Aga natuke parem kui näiteks Ämber.miili programm.
Jens saatis lingi.
April 7, 2008
Melancholy is the thoughtful twin sister of happiness
... says Rene in this brilliant post about excessive business travelling and home as such. On that subject he's definitely in the know. It's a good read even if you don't spend most of your time in hotel beds and dodgy hangouts.
April 5, 2008
Advertising that's good for you
As someone that made my undergrad thesis on ambient media this almost sent shivers down my spine. Small ones, anyways. But the idea is brilliant, isn't it? Best of all this is as green as it gets. Very few trees had to be cut to transmit this message, and if so these were chalk trees.
The only thing I was lacking was a call to action of some sort, and maybe who is this message from. But you can do this in other media, so it's good as is. Many points.
April 1, 2008
Luxembourg is (a bit) safer than Estonia
After booking a flight to Luxembourg the paranoia service of the new travel agency strikes again. I am sparing you the details, but still:
There is no specific threat to foreigners traveling to or residing in Luxembourg. The Grand Duchy is a modern country with a stable economy and political system.
Luxembourg has a very low crime rate. Visitors should, nonetheless, take appropriate precautions.
Trafficking of drugs and firearms is illegal and can result in severe punishment.
I consider myself warned. And it is not all rosy:
There are winding roads in the countryside and cyclists or farm vehicles can sometimes impede the movement of traffic. There is also congestion during rush hours in the main cities. Visitors should take extra precautions while driving in high volume commuter and tourist traffic, or during winter fog and snowfalls.
What main cities? Plural? In Luxembourg? I have clearly underestimated the greatness of Esch-sur-Alzette, Dudelange and Differdange (about 20 thousand people each).
And then there's the condom bit:
Sourcing condoms from your own country is not really an option when you learn about the trip only two days in advance...
