More Embargo Nonsense via TechCrunch
A while back, Michael Arrington of TechCrunch announced that the site would no longer honor embargoes, even if they agreed to one. Silly, but fair warning for any PR folks. He held out exceptions for Microsoft and Google, because they wanted access to their news (the whole point of the embargo). I’ll bet money that they have made other exceptions. Recently, it appears Microsoft lost its Most Favored Flack Status when a piece of Microsoft News was broken on another site– supposedly from a WordPress posting error.
The Waggener-Edstrom folks (Microsoft’s PR agency) should have been monitoring for any early leaks so they can alert the more important publications they briefed ahead of time (Were they? Was it just an honest miss?). Now, Waggener Edstrom is “banned” by TechCrunch.
So, the question for Wagg-Ed folks is how important is TechCrunch, really? The question for TechCrunch is: how important is Microsoft, really? It will be interesting how they answer the questions, and what proceeds from there.
Note: Almost forgot the Waggener Edstrom had recently hosted a SF-based forum on the embargo, called “Embargo 2010: An Industry Discussion on Future Rules of Media Engagement.”
Update: Jenny Gomeringer referred me to a nice post that I had missed from the Waggener Edstrom blog referring to both the panel and what happened with the Microsoft embargo. Recommended reading.
TweetLevel; Effective Blunt Instrument or Silly Ego Ranking Exercise?
Recently, I heard about TweetLevel, a service from Edelman that attempts to determine the “authority.” On Twitter, I wondered aloud “What the hell is this?” more because I was unable to access the TweetLevel site at the time than because I was railing against another empty ego exercise. I’m done putting down these things. Somebody will find use for them, and if they’re fyun, that’s good enough for me. If it’s truly useless it will die on its own.
Besides, Edelman’s David Brain pointed me to a post including me among a group of raked PR industry Tweeters (#19 with a bullet!). Flattery will get you everywhere.
Not to my account. LinkedIn is a great business networking tool, and Twitter- for me- is a big mix of personal and professional messages- more importantly, there is too much of Twitter and it would choke my LinkedIn profile. I do like the ability to selectively post Twitter to LinkedIn, a la “Selective Twitter” on Facebook.
Not an official Facebook feature, but a Firefox plugin. I love being snarky, but a “dislike” button seems antisocial for a social network. How about just not liking something?
Fun: Ford Fiesta Movement!
My good friend Scott Monty, Director of Social Media at Ford, has been having a lot of fun with the Ford Fiesta Movement, in which a hundred Ford Fiestas, unavailable as yet in the U.S., were loaned to video bloggers. Imagine my surprise when, connecting with “Vice Queen Maria” for a little night out on a recent trip to Miami, she walked us to her car, which was—a Ford Fiesta! Nice little piece of serendipity, and a lucky touchpoint for a popular social media campaign. What are the odds?
Sorry, but you are wrong, Wrong, WRONG about the dislike button. It’s not the same as not “liking” — for example, “I have the flu.” This *needs* a dislike. Or, what if I posted, “I hate the Red Sox.” Would not liking give YOU the same satisfaction as actively disliking? I think not.
Disclosure: I don’t really like Facebook that much anyway. Another reason for a dislike button.
If disliking “dislike” is wrong, I don’t wanna be right…
Again, I would argue that ignoring what we don’t like is quietly effective. And we can also say in response to the Red Sox haters that they are “Wrong, Wrong, WRONG” without need for the button :)
The more I think of it, the more I think of the “Like” button not as an “I like this” but as a “this is worth my attention and perhaps yours”
Hey Doug! Quite the serendipity indeed! Talk about the power of twitter. We would’ve otherwise never met.
Doug,
I understand your thinking about the dislike button, but I’ll agree with the others. I think social networking opens itself up to a little snarkiness, so imagine all the fun our friends could have disliking our blog posts, our weather updates, our restaurant plans etc… I think it’ll propel a wealth of activity, engagement and social behavior. :)
Rachel Kay
It isn’t that TC has the power… it is the people who view TC are the types to know how to use twitter, FB, digg and stumble upon that make it one of the most powerful promotional blogs on the net. Their are 100’s of guys trying to get Mikes attention so they kiss his behind a little or a lot..