How do they tow cars in Japan? What's J-pop music? Why does Japan love cartoons?
Get all your answers at 3Yen, a site dedicated all things wonderfully Japanese.
Get all your facts: Know your Gackt from your Miyavi. Revel in the joy that is eating Pocky and watching Full Metal Panic. Wonder strangely why Kit Kat is the number one study-food for Japanese high school students.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hard Sell
Because it’s whether I trust the product. Relapse. Benefits. Features.
Hell is subjective on a weekend. This time with tongue. And finally,
who makes it? This says I’m desirable. My scent is a tribe. Complex
flourishes. Accidents. Plastic. Conspicuous attempts. Welcome
to my brilliant mental basement disappointment. Whoa logic.
Fell into the cicadas. With a tremendous advantage over those
who don’t. There are no dull moments. Moot. Liquid. Courage.
My shrinking psychic distance. Kissing wild ordinary charismatics.
Hell is subjective on a weekend. This time with tongue. And finally,
who makes it? This says I’m desirable. My scent is a tribe. Complex
flourishes. Accidents. Plastic. Conspicuous attempts. Welcome
to my brilliant mental basement disappointment. Whoa logic.
Fell into the cicadas. With a tremendous advantage over those
who don’t. There are no dull moments. Moot. Liquid. Courage.
My shrinking psychic distance. Kissing wild ordinary charismatics.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
For PR eyes only: Best Books to Buy
Keeping up with PR trends is tough. Good thing there are some great books out there.
These are some of the best I have come across:
Fall of Advertising and Rise of PR – Al & Laura Ries
Permission Marketing – Seth Godin
Unleashing the Ideavirus – Seth Godin
A New Brand World – Scott Bedbury
The Origin of Brands – Al & Laura Ries
Beyond Buzz – Lois Kelly
The Brand Gap – Marty Neumeier
Zag – Marty Neumeier
The New Rules of Marketing and PR – D. Scott
These are some of the best I have come across:
Fall of Advertising and Rise of PR – Al & Laura Ries
Permission Marketing – Seth Godin
Unleashing the Ideavirus – Seth Godin
A New Brand World – Scott Bedbury
The Origin of Brands – Al & Laura Ries
Beyond Buzz – Lois Kelly
The Brand Gap – Marty Neumeier
Zag – Marty Neumeier
The New Rules of Marketing and PR – D. Scott
Friday, January 18, 2008
Why would you want a tentacle arm?
Because tentacles are awesome. Especially when they are your own.
Gaia online is a new social network (like facebook) for nerds, particularly those fond of role-playing games and anime.
But, they also have a great store full of quirky accessories and clothes. Including tentacle arms - great for halloween, or christmas depending on your predilication for strangeness.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wii Wait for Third Party Support
Will Nintendo's Wii make it without Third Party Support?
Sure, sure the Wii is a hit. It’s phenomenal sales of 13.7 million units as of September 2007 is astounding. Its marketing shift away from traditional games to new markets was a brilliant move, both in a marketing sense (growing the existing market) and in a competitive sense (where Nintendo couldn’t keep up with Sony and Microsoft).
But…there’s a big but.
Selling a lot of systems is great up front. However, it’s only one half of an equation. Nintendo needs sustained gaming success to drive the Wii. The hardware will only sell and sustain Nintendo for so long, and then the games will be what defines and rejuvenates the system over and over. Playstation 2’s continued sales prove this fact. Despite being a six year-old system, it continues to sell surprisingly well (better than the PS3) because of the depth of games offered.
Wii lacks games.
Beyond the Nintendo-created titles (Mario this, Mario that), Nintendo’s third party titles aren’t selling well. What does this mean? It means games created by other companies are not being bought by consumers, either for a lack of interest or because the developers haven’t really grasped the Wii’s true potential. Regardless the reason, bad third-party sales are a good indicator that developers will turn away from Nintendo for the more traditional consoles where they can make profits.
And Nintendo will lose ground. Perhaps I’m early on calling it, but Japan’s latest console sales are a good bellwether for the Wii. The recent sales figures show that the PS3 is now outpacing the Wii and analysts predict that the playing field will be close to even by the end of 2008.
I estimate the Wii’s novelty will wear off by around August of this year. If Wii doesn’t start producing “A” title third-party games (ala Bioshock, Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Rock Band) like the other systems, Nintendo will find itself in the same position it was with the woeful Gamecube. Wii will end up last in the console race despite its boundless innovation and massive momentum.
Sure, sure the Wii is a hit. It’s phenomenal sales of 13.7 million units as of September 2007 is astounding. Its marketing shift away from traditional games to new markets was a brilliant move, both in a marketing sense (growing the existing market) and in a competitive sense (where Nintendo couldn’t keep up with Sony and Microsoft).
But…there’s a big but.
Selling a lot of systems is great up front. However, it’s only one half of an equation. Nintendo needs sustained gaming success to drive the Wii. The hardware will only sell and sustain Nintendo for so long, and then the games will be what defines and rejuvenates the system over and over. Playstation 2’s continued sales prove this fact. Despite being a six year-old system, it continues to sell surprisingly well (better than the PS3) because of the depth of games offered.
Wii lacks games.
Beyond the Nintendo-created titles (Mario this, Mario that), Nintendo’s third party titles aren’t selling well. What does this mean? It means games created by other companies are not being bought by consumers, either for a lack of interest or because the developers haven’t really grasped the Wii’s true potential. Regardless the reason, bad third-party sales are a good indicator that developers will turn away from Nintendo for the more traditional consoles where they can make profits.
And Nintendo will lose ground. Perhaps I’m early on calling it, but Japan’s latest console sales are a good bellwether for the Wii. The recent sales figures show that the PS3 is now outpacing the Wii and analysts predict that the playing field will be close to even by the end of 2008.
I estimate the Wii’s novelty will wear off by around August of this year. If Wii doesn’t start producing “A” title third-party games (ala Bioshock, Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Rock Band) like the other systems, Nintendo will find itself in the same position it was with the woeful Gamecube. Wii will end up last in the console race despite its boundless innovation and massive momentum.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Huckabee wants to change US Constitution
Spreading like wildfire over the Internet is Mike Huckabee's recent comments about the constitution. Here's what he said:
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution," Huckabee told a Michigan audience on Monday. "But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living god. And that's what we need to do -- to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view."
Nice. My first thought was that wouldn't a move like this effectively make the United States a theocracy. You know, the kind of theocracy we see in Iran, the dreaded mortal enemy of the United States because of its supposed hatred of freedom.
I should run for president on the platform that we amend the constution so that Mike Huckabee can't run for president or bear offspring. I would also run on the dinosaurs do not exist because Chuck Norris went back in time and killed them platform. The latter will no doubt get me some votes. Or, by the very least, Chuck Norris' support.
"I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution," Huckabee told a Michigan audience on Monday. "But I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living god. And that's what we need to do -- to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards so it lines up with some contemporary view."
Nice. My first thought was that wouldn't a move like this effectively make the United States a theocracy. You know, the kind of theocracy we see in Iran, the dreaded mortal enemy of the United States because of its supposed hatred of freedom.
I should run for president on the platform that we amend the constution so that Mike Huckabee can't run for president or bear offspring. I would also run on the dinosaurs do not exist because Chuck Norris went back in time and killed them platform. The latter will no doubt get me some votes. Or, by the very least, Chuck Norris' support.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Wait for August
Charms
Just inside the rim. She gasped
gripping the handrail. These
relentless chemicals. Another
slip pandora. Because sleep
erases. Forfeiting ghosts.
Peel exasperated plaster.
Dried with angst. Slow violent
fingernail. In pills and acetate.
Drama and chimeras. Eyeless
exits. Used to imitate an ache.
Just inside the rim. She gasped
gripping the handrail. These
relentless chemicals. Another
slip pandora. Because sleep
erases. Forfeiting ghosts.
Peel exasperated plaster.
Dried with angst. Slow violent
fingernail. In pills and acetate.
Drama and chimeras. Eyeless
exits. Used to imitate an ache.
Camelot - Pumphouse Theatre
Camelot
Sometimes earnestness gets you nowhere. Camelot, now playing at Pumphouse Theatre is a perfect example of why. Despite very best attempts by Front Row Productions, the sheer lack of talent, budget and execution make this musical simply not worth seeing. Of course there were warning signs:
a) the audience is almost entirely made up of friends and family
b) the actors are primarily high school students
c) the actors who were not high school students were friends of the director
None of these things usually translate into a good production – and Camelot certainly isn’t a good production. That’s not to say that the actors didn’t try hard – they did. But, the lack of experience and talent was evident not only in the stilted dialogue and off-timed jokes, but in the weak singing, except for the female lead.
Now, perhaps this isn’t my cup of tea. There were lots of people enjoying the show – and maybe because we only get one full Broadway-type production rolling through cowtown every year, Front Row Productions constitutes some kind of stop-gap.
Still, as much as I feel like I’m kicking a sick puppy, I can’t justify paying for something terrible, even when the person delivering it has a big smile on their face. If you want bad theatre by enthusiastic people – Camelot is your ticket. If you want good theatre probably done by emotionless professionals, then I’d say hold on to your money and wait for the real thing.
Sometimes earnestness gets you nowhere. Camelot, now playing at Pumphouse Theatre is a perfect example of why. Despite very best attempts by Front Row Productions, the sheer lack of talent, budget and execution make this musical simply not worth seeing. Of course there were warning signs:
a) the audience is almost entirely made up of friends and family
b) the actors are primarily high school students
c) the actors who were not high school students were friends of the director
None of these things usually translate into a good production – and Camelot certainly isn’t a good production. That’s not to say that the actors didn’t try hard – they did. But, the lack of experience and talent was evident not only in the stilted dialogue and off-timed jokes, but in the weak singing, except for the female lead.
Now, perhaps this isn’t my cup of tea. There were lots of people enjoying the show – and maybe because we only get one full Broadway-type production rolling through cowtown every year, Front Row Productions constitutes some kind of stop-gap.
Still, as much as I feel like I’m kicking a sick puppy, I can’t justify paying for something terrible, even when the person delivering it has a big smile on their face. If you want bad theatre by enthusiastic people – Camelot is your ticket. If you want good theatre probably done by emotionless professionals, then I’d say hold on to your money and wait for the real thing.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Enabler
Enabler
Don’t play what if Wheeled
in blue The authentic feels
like Clacking unwound
Powder Eyeball Harness
instead Yellow nausea.
Drop in cold Why criss-
crosses Can you speak can
Don’t play what if Wheeled
in blue The authentic feels
like Clacking unwound
Powder Eyeball Harness
instead Yellow nausea.
Drop in cold Why criss-
crosses Can you speak can
For PR eyes only
For PR eyes only
Between all my projects, I read a lot of PR and Marketing sites. It helps with work and life.
Whether it’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Branding, Storytelling or Emotional Marketing, I try to keep up with what’s going on. Here are some specific articles I like:
SEO Copywriting 2.0
Building a SEO Marketing Plan
Emotional Marketing
Emotion Triggers the Right Moves
Building a Brand Enthusiast
Differentiate your Brand for Reals
Stories Make the Difference
Ten Truths about Branded Storytelling
Between all my projects, I read a lot of PR and Marketing sites. It helps with work and life.
Whether it’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Branding, Storytelling or Emotional Marketing, I try to keep up with what’s going on. Here are some specific articles I like:
SEO Copywriting 2.0
Building a SEO Marketing Plan
Emotional Marketing
Emotion Triggers the Right Moves
Building a Brand Enthusiast
Differentiate your Brand for Reals
Stories Make the Difference
Ten Truths about Branded Storytelling
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Selling on Ebay - Three Things to Watch
Watch out for these 3 things when selling on Ebay:
My girlfriend and I sell things on Ebay and we’ve learned some lessons along the way.
We’re not power sellers but we’ve done almost 200 sales with minimal trouble. Here’s how:
1. Expectations are everything
First things first, people don’t read your product post, not all of it anyway. They won’t read all your shipping rules and costs. Often, they will “watch” it or they will just bid on it (especially new ebay users). This can result in annoyed customers when it comes time to pay or when they realize how long it takes to get their item. Especially at Christmas – users don’t always understand that basic shipping might not get their item in time during holidays.
What do you do?
We tend to avoid posting shipping rates. Tell them to e-mail you in the post. Make sure that’s written as high as possible – even under the product headline. Then go on to describe the product. That way if they like your setup, they likely will buy your product. Often the product isn’t the difference maker – it’s your shipping information and pricing that makes the difference – especially with used items or bulk items.
2. Take lots of pictures – and be descriptive
Of course you only get one default picture – but adding one is a good idea, especially for used items. And, if your product is in fair condition – describe what “fair condition” means. Not everyone has the same idea in mind. We’ve come across a couple of disputes this way so it pays to be very clear about the product’s condition. In fact, it helps sell the product as buyers prefer honestly over vague/fluffy hype.
3. Shipping is the difference maker
A lot of sellers use shipping as a way of adding revenue. Don’t do this. If you want loyal, returning users – set the shipping price fairly. And if you provided a quote that was a little high, refund them the minor difference. It’s a small cost and it makes you an extraordinary seller, and unlike 99 per cent of your competition.
And, if you can deliver a product or set up local pick up – do it. Even if you have three eyes and no hygiene to speak of, local pick up is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways of making a sale.
These things have helped us along the way – no matter what we’re selling – from used video games to beauty products to stuffed bears.
My girlfriend and I sell things on Ebay and we’ve learned some lessons along the way.
We’re not power sellers but we’ve done almost 200 sales with minimal trouble. Here’s how:
1. Expectations are everything
First things first, people don’t read your product post, not all of it anyway. They won’t read all your shipping rules and costs. Often, they will “watch” it or they will just bid on it (especially new ebay users). This can result in annoyed customers when it comes time to pay or when they realize how long it takes to get their item. Especially at Christmas – users don’t always understand that basic shipping might not get their item in time during holidays.
What do you do?
We tend to avoid posting shipping rates. Tell them to e-mail you in the post. Make sure that’s written as high as possible – even under the product headline. Then go on to describe the product. That way if they like your setup, they likely will buy your product. Often the product isn’t the difference maker – it’s your shipping information and pricing that makes the difference – especially with used items or bulk items.
2. Take lots of pictures – and be descriptive
Of course you only get one default picture – but adding one is a good idea, especially for used items. And, if your product is in fair condition – describe what “fair condition” means. Not everyone has the same idea in mind. We’ve come across a couple of disputes this way so it pays to be very clear about the product’s condition. In fact, it helps sell the product as buyers prefer honestly over vague/fluffy hype.
3. Shipping is the difference maker
A lot of sellers use shipping as a way of adding revenue. Don’t do this. If you want loyal, returning users – set the shipping price fairly. And if you provided a quote that was a little high, refund them the minor difference. It’s a small cost and it makes you an extraordinary seller, and unlike 99 per cent of your competition.
And, if you can deliver a product or set up local pick up – do it. Even if you have three eyes and no hygiene to speak of, local pick up is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways of making a sale.
These things have helped us along the way – no matter what we’re selling – from used video games to beauty products to stuffed bears.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Hot Links
Hot Links
Awesome.
Occasionally, in life or work I find things that I think fit the word. Here are few cool sites I like:
Threadless
www.threadless.com
It’s pretty ubiquitous by now, but this t-shirt site has a load of designer-created limited-run t-shirts. There are some incredible designs and ideas here to put on your body.
Rotofugi
www.rotofugi.com
You can buy plush ninjas. Enough said.
Endless online book
www.writesomething.net
It’s a book where anyone can add to part of the story. Strange, beautiful, thoroughly post-modern.
Gapingvoid
http://www.gapingvoid.com/
Cartoons drawn on the back of business cards. Small, epic and surreal portraits of our world gone wrong.
Awesome.
Occasionally, in life or work I find things that I think fit the word. Here are few cool sites I like:
Threadless
www.threadless.com
It’s pretty ubiquitous by now, but this t-shirt site has a load of designer-created limited-run t-shirts. There are some incredible designs and ideas here to put on your body.
Rotofugi
www.rotofugi.com
You can buy plush ninjas. Enough said.
Endless online book
www.writesomething.net
It’s a book where anyone can add to part of the story. Strange, beautiful, thoroughly post-modern.
Gapingvoid
http://www.gapingvoid.com/
Cartoons drawn on the back of business cards. Small, epic and surreal portraits of our world gone wrong.
pitch selective (draft two)
Pitch selective
half the solved
reception preserved
awesome in relief
several tabs into desire
staring outliers
see stupefied again
lanterns of cognizance
alight karma links
anointed lightning
echo schemes silver
such fresh rectangles
minimized this realm
mortal solipsists
click physics
quack contractual
story penetrator
understand the shadow
vapor anchors
brainchild landslides
bargain backdrop
by hard grey flames
half the solved
reception preserved
awesome in relief
several tabs into desire
staring outliers
see stupefied again
lanterns of cognizance
alight karma links
anointed lightning
echo schemes silver
such fresh rectangles
minimized this realm
mortal solipsists
click physics
quack contractual
story penetrator
understand the shadow
vapor anchors
brainchild landslides
bargain backdrop
by hard grey flames
Friday, January 04, 2008
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
So this is what insanity sounds like.
Take “jam” literally since this album playfully squishes pop, noise, electronics and hymnals into a sweet little confection. Admittedly, I’m a latecomer on this album. Actually, I can’t say that I’ve ever been the guy waving the Animal Collective flag from the float on the parade. I’ve listened attentively, but eventually forgot their previous albums. Alas, no true sticking points for me.
I’ve been running jam through my brain for close to a week and I feel this one’s different. Whether it’s the spurting electronics that play like Jackson Pollock or the angelic countermelody of the background singing, Strawberry Jam feels like a definitive statement from Animal Collective.
For Reverend Green’s skiprope guitar or #1’s Age of Aquarius synth chords and downtuned vocals are definite highlights. I recommend listening to it, and maybe even joining the float too.
So this is what insanity sounds like.
Take “jam” literally since this album playfully squishes pop, noise, electronics and hymnals into a sweet little confection. Admittedly, I’m a latecomer on this album. Actually, I can’t say that I’ve ever been the guy waving the Animal Collective flag from the float on the parade. I’ve listened attentively, but eventually forgot their previous albums. Alas, no true sticking points for me.
I’ve been running jam through my brain for close to a week and I feel this one’s different. Whether it’s the spurting electronics that play like Jackson Pollock or the angelic countermelody of the background singing, Strawberry Jam feels like a definitive statement from Animal Collective.
For Reverend Green’s skiprope guitar or #1’s Age of Aquarius synth chords and downtuned vocals are definite highlights. I recommend listening to it, and maybe even joining the float too.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Daft Punk Electroma
Daft Punk's Electroma
Did you ever secretly wish to yourself that you could find a movie where men dressed as robots decide to dress as humans by wearing giant playdough faces. Which then disturbingly melt in the summer's heat and and cause the men dressed as robots to be chased out of town by folksy townspeople dressed as robots. Which logically ends with the men dressed as robots wandering the desert until one explodes and the other lights himself on fire and continues wandering.
That in a nutshell is Daft Punk's Electroma - a strange movie starring Daft Punk, but oddly not including their own music (though it sounds pretty similar). I'm not saying it's a good movie (the desert sequence is excrutiatingly long) but it's probably worth finding on the cheap for curiousity's sake.
Did you ever secretly wish to yourself that you could find a movie where men dressed as robots decide to dress as humans by wearing giant playdough faces. Which then disturbingly melt in the summer's heat and and cause the men dressed as robots to be chased out of town by folksy townspeople dressed as robots. Which logically ends with the men dressed as robots wandering the desert until one explodes and the other lights himself on fire and continues wandering.
That in a nutshell is Daft Punk's Electroma - a strange movie starring Daft Punk, but oddly not including their own music (though it sounds pretty similar). I'm not saying it's a good movie (the desert sequence is excrutiatingly long) but it's probably worth finding on the cheap for curiousity's sake.
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