Untukmu Para Pengunjung

In medieval days when a town decided to set up a market they would erect a Market Cross. It acted as a reminder ‘not to defraud by cheapening’. It was a sign to traders to not be dishonest to locals and it was a sign to buyers to make sure they didn’t barter the traders so low that it was not worth returning for the traders.

I think at the moment we are going through a stage where we are creating an online Market Town. Companies (Traders) are seeing the value in the Australian blogosphere, they are interested in getting involved in the blogosphere but they are going about it in the wrong way most of the times.

I think we look to often at the bad things that companies do, rather than looking at what we can do as the residents in this town. I think it is time that we work on our market cross. That is why I have decided to set up a discussion on Aussie Bloggers Forum about trying to create some Rules of Engagement for both brands and bloggers. Please add to the discussion.

A minute VLOG on the new Marketplace

The business of Web 2.0, great presentation
via Servant of Chaos

Scratching on tape decks video!
Are you a struggling DJ trying to stand out amongst the multitude of other DJ's? I just found your competitive advantage

ANZ withdraws ads from The Footy Show , great post
via Ihateads

Garfield minus Garfield
Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.

The 1st Gay – Great TVC

On Thursday 5th June, I will be speaking at a Australian Marketing Institute Seminar on ‘Creating Strategic Online Marketing Campaigns Using Web2.0 and Online Social Networks to Build Your Brand’. My presentation will be on lessons learnt from Sprite Truth Hunters Social Media Campaign. More details here.

Inside word is that Tequila are behind this campaign and if their Tenacious D online campaign is anything to go by this should be a good campaign. Will be interesting to see what they do with this one. Cannot say it has grabbed me with the same anticipation of the Man Cans but I will look on with interest.

My guess is for Ebay or Playstation. They seem like the two brands that fit best from their current clients.

Here is the first lesson from Symbols of Australia

As much as marketers like to think about Consumer Involvement as this new marketing technique it is not. The story of the Australian icon Vegemite is testament that this technique has been around for years.

‘In 1910, the popular English spread Marmite was registered in Australia. Made from beef extract, the product is still in exsistence today. In early 1923, Fred Walker, an enterprising general merchant produced a vegetable extract. To position it in direct compeititon with Marmite, he called it Parwill: ‘Marmite-mother might, Parwill- father will.

The brand didn’t take on and Walker assumed it may have had something to do with the name. Late 1923 he conducted a competition to rename it. The result was Vegemite, which Walker duly registered.’

A recent example that comes to mind of the food industry using this consumer involvement in the product naming is the Name It Burger competition from McDonalds. Link here.

In the picture above is a Vegemite ad from 1923 and a bottle from 1950 and one from the 1980’s.

Mscape is taking computer games outdoors. People are now playing computer games on mobile devices, with the outdoor environment acting as the playing field. Mscape is an extension of the popular Alternative Reality Games. There is so much opportunity here for brands and companies; they could set up offline treasure hunts or whole games for people to play in.


Here is a making of a Mscape game - Timehole