Time for another Social Media Top 5. This week, I ponder taking a great social media/Internet meme and beating it into the ground like the Golden Spike.
It’s time to continue the expansion of the idea of “Spam.” We know Spam is unwanted, unsolicited email. since, then, Bacn has been defined as email that we want, but is kind of an annoyance. In the wake of the recent “PR Spam” controversy (yawn), Brian Solis invented “Tofu.” He defined it thus:
Tofu (new category – suggested name) is email that is sent individually to people who are pre-qualified or identified as being related to, or interested in, a particular category or topic. Or, they have made their email publicly available on their site, thus intentionally or inadvertently inviting contact. I’m not sure what to call it, but the idea for tofu was inspired by the fact that we can almost make it taste like something else, but at the end of the day, it’s still not the real thing.
Thanks for the concise definition, Brian. The era of PR pitching via short message media like Twitter is off to a roaring start! :)
For my Social Media top 5, a few more suggestions to stretch this idea beyond its limit:
- Chickn: Actually, most emails, even spam, taste like chicken. some of them are a little stringy though
- Vegetbles: These are the emails that we hate to read, even though we know they are good for us. Perhaps it’s the weekly email memo from the CEO
- Potatos:These are very filling, full of substance. Also, the best ones ideally originate in the Underground.
- Dessrt: These emails are fun, but it’s unhealthy to read too many of them. Perhaps those jokes your friends won’t stop sending to you
- Alcohl: Tasty emails, always bad for you. Like dessert, but more addictive and sometimes evil. Definitely NSFW. Best consumed on nights and weekends
Any more suggestions?
Technorati Tags: socialmedia, spam, bacn