Some intelligent people are discussing "the de-portalization of the Internet." The image below--care of Edgeio--is a graphic representation of the changes currently underway. Fred Wilson, a.k.a. "A VC" says: Back in the first Internet era, it was all about amassing as large an audience as you could on your website. But the first Internet era was at time when consumers weren't that comfortable with vastness of the …
Highly Localized Lifestyle TV
Wall Street Journal takes a look at Plum TV, a startup television network focused on local television in high-end resort markets. Plum TV broadcasts on six TV stations in some of the most exclusive resort areas in the U.S.: Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, the Hamptons in New York and the Colorado ski towns of Vail, Aspen and Telluride. Soon to come: stations in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Miami Beach, …
Bebo Bonanza
According to Google, "a year’s worth of search speaks to our collective consciousness." If this is true, our collective consciousness is particularly concerned with social networks. Here are the top ten search terms on Google for 2006: 1. bebo 2. myspace 3. world cup 4. metacafe 5. radioblog 6. wikipedia 7. video 8. rebelde 9. mininova 10. wiki Numbers 4, 8 and 9 are new to me. How about you? Did you search for Bebo …
Talkin’ ‘Bout Brands
Promo Magazine breaks down some word-of-mouth numbers, revealing just how brand-centric our culture has become. Americans make about 4.5 billion brand impressions a day just through conversation. In fact, a mere 15% of the population makes 1.5 billion brand mentions to friends each day, according to new research on word-of-mouth marketing. The study, conducted by research firm Keller Fay Group, is the first to …
False Advertising: Faux Fur It’s Not
LA Times reports on the fashion industry's unconscious sourcing of raw materials. Macy's has pulled from its shelves and its Web site two styles of Sean John hooded jackets, originally advertised as featuring faux fur, after an investigation by the nation's largest animal protection organization concluded that the garments were actually made from a certain species of dog called "raccoon dog." "First these jackets …
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Caption It #22
[via Room 116] …
Like GPS For Packaged Goods
“The internet is expected to influence nearly half of retail sales in 2010.” -Jupiter The internet has dramatically changed the way consumers shop. People are increasingly getting their shopping information – even for offline purchases – online. Tech startup Nearby Now intends to profit from the info-rich shopping experience. They want to connect offline retailers with eager-to-buy consumers by scanning multiple …
Gee Whiz!
According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Archie Comic Publications Inc. of Mamaroneck, N.Y. "plans to experiment with changing the way the characters look to make them appear more sophisticated." The news has already drawn heat from loyalists in Web forums who have seen the new incarnations. "Betty looks like one of the Olsen twins," wrote one contributor to Newsarama.com, a Web site devoted to …