May 2006

You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May 2006.

Fly-Yourself Airlines

21 May 2006 in Media by Stilgherrian | No comments

No wonder this budget airline is so cheap — it looks like you have to fly it yourself. But hey, it looks like it could be fun…

This poor choice of editorial photography was brought to you by “Cochin”:http://www.cochin.com/ today. Those wacky Indians.

Watch It Shred!

19 May 2006 in Marketing by Stilgherrian | 1 comment

Thirty-seven points for marketing genius to SSI Shredding Systems Inc. Forget features and benefits” [yawns] — all you need to know is that they make machines which can turn three dishwashers into ragged shards in ten seconds.

Marketing Lessons:

  • Before you can talk to someone, you have to attract their attention.
  • To attract attention, trigger an emotional response first. They’ll remember you that way. They’ll come back for the facts when they become relevant because they remembered you.
  • If people think “Wow! Come and look at this!” they’ll tell others.
  • Do it quick! A typical website visitor only looks at one page of your website — two if you’re lucky.

If you’re in Wilsonville, Oregon, please buy these guys a beer.

Ad Agency Hypocrites

14 May 2006 in Business, Marketing by Stilgherrian | No comments

“If advertising is so effective, why don’t ad agencies advertise?, asks SinekPartners CEO, Simon Sinek.

While agencies recommend their clients spend 10% of their revenues on marketing, the big four agencies — a combined global revenue of US$29.3 — spend only 0.01% of their own money.

Top Management Lies

10 May 2006 in Business, Human Nature by Stilgherrian | No comments

Employers always say they want employees who are bold, creative, self-directed, take initiative, and aren’t afraid to speak up. But what they really want are worker droids. Read more about this and other Top Management Lies, thanks to Kathy Sierra.

Disturbing the Store

07 May 2006 in Human Nature, Politics by Stilgherrian | 2 comments

My vote for “Prank of the Month” (well, last month) goes to the New York-based Improv Everywhere crew for flooding a Best Buy department store with around 80 people dressed almost like their staff.

The full report on this prank shows how the store management couldn’t cope — they didn’t like it, and people get nervous when confronted with something “different”.

It’s also interesting reading the comments on Bruce Schneier’s write-up of this event, where so many commenters fail to see the difference between a “threat to the store” and a “threat to the perceived authority of the store managers”.

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