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May 17, 2008

Books, blogs and Burma

crossposted to Snapshot Chronicles

We interrupt our discussion of blogger relations, good and bad, to bring you some news from around the blogosphere from friends new and old.

First, from  my good friend Yvonne DiVita. In addition to being one of the leading experts on marketing to women online, Yvonne runs Windsor Media Enterprises, a  print-on-demand publishing company that guides authors through the self-publishing process. This fall, they are going to put on a conference called Books, Blogs and Beyond: Publishing 3.0, and they are asking for our  input to create a program truly relevant to the attendees' needs. If you are an aspiring author, or even just interested in the impact of social media like blogs on the publishing process, please take their survey. Let Yvonne and her team know what you'd like to know.

Speaking of authors, this week the momosphere was alive with buzz about Sleep Is for the Weak, the upcoming collection of essays by parent bloggers edited by Rita Arens. Read the story of how Rita shepherded this project from her dream to a reality on her blog Surrender, Dorothy, and then immediately add the blog to your feed reader. She is an excellent writer, as are the many moms, and one dad, included in the book. I can't wait to get my copy, already pre-ordered on Amazon.

One reason I am so excited about her book, apart from the fact that Rita is an awesome woman who deserves the success and accolades that are and will be coming her way as the result of the book, is that it will expose an even larger audience to the amazing writing on parent blogs. Major media always seems to focus on mom blogs as a market,  the privacy issue -- that parents are writing about their kids, and dooce. What it misses is what a damn fine group of writers this is, and not just Heather Armstrong. I read many blogs. Some of the best writing BY FAR is on parenting blogs, and not just about their kids. Politics, culture, sex, travel, art, photography, philanthropy, the economy. Just some of the topics you'll find on parenting blogs along with daycare, diapers and  disasters.

Finally, here's a simple way to donate to the relief effort in Burma that won't cost you a cent, just a comment. Leave a comment on this post at digTrends by May 31st, and Digital Influence Group will add $10.00 to its donation check to the US Campaign for Burma. They've capped the donation at $5,000 -- that's 500 comments on their post, and I hope they get there. Hat tip, Mack Collier on Twitter.

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Posted @ 12:05PM in Blogging, Books, Charity | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Apr 29, 2008

Power

crossposted to Snapshot Chronicles. Warning: long post

Power. Of the collective. Of the parent. Of the blogger. That's today's topic.

Let's start with what the collective can achieve when we come together. In this case, for charity. As you may recall, about two weeks ago, in one of my Camp Baby case study posts, I suggested that companies interested in reaching women bloggers put their money into the charities that we care about. Not that we don't like schwag or free products, or hell, even some link love. But I have yet to meet a parent blogger that doesn't contribute what she or he can to charity. It's why BlogHers Act has such resonance for the community.

Which is why I was thrilled to get an email from Kristen Chase this morning telling me about the latest Parent Bloggers Network BlogBlast campaign. PBN has teamed up with Johnson's to promote Johnson's Baby Cause, the company's new charitable giving site to support the health and well-being of mothers and children worldwide. Details of the promotion are on the PBN post, but short version, blog about how you'd like to be recognized on Mother's Day. Both Johnson's and PBN are donating prizes; I love the PBN prize -- a $25 credit to donate to the cause of your choice at Baby Cause. Ten winners. There's also a charity auction for gently used celebrity baby goods on eBay that will benefit Baby Cause.

Why do I like this so much? To start with, charity. That will get me EVERY TIME. Which I am sure Kristen knew when she emailed me. And then there's the Johnson's component. I absolutely love that this Parent Bloggers Network campaign came about as a result of Lori Dolginoff from Johnson's and Kristen meeting at Camp Baby, a fact which I confirmed with Lori before posting tonight. (And perhaps of  Lori and Julie Marsh, Kristen's partner in PBN, not meeting for all the reasons we already know.)

I'm sure the broader charity effort was well underway before Camp Baby earlier this month but as a direct result of the event, Johnson's decided to team up with PBN to promote it. In short, it learned how valuable it is to work with people within the community, and that, my friends, is worth the price of admission.

Okay, you get here for free, but you know what I mean.

Another way we exercise our power as bloggers is when we help build our community. As Kim Moldofsky did today with a "link love" post for her Camp Baby friends on parentcenter. Yet another consequence, and hopefully not unintended, of getting 56 women with common interests together.

The power of the collective to effect change. Use it. Write a post. Help a friend with a little link love. Donate, to Baby Cause or BlogHers Act. But I'm thinking, buy a new diaper bag. 

Parent bloggers have power. And that's the segue into my next topic, which is to tell you about a project that launched its public beta today called ParentPower. Full disclosure: I've been consulting for the company developing ParentPower, advising them about the parent blogger space.

What is ParentPower? It's an application for parenting blogs. There’s a lot to it – a desktop widget, an index of top parenting blogs, links to sites we visit all the time like Flickr, Twitter and parenting sites, an RSS reader, the weather, and more. More details in the overview on the site.

Why do I like this project? Because Active Access, the company that developed the app, asked. And they listened. And not just to me and my colleague Kami Huyse, who brought me into the project. They did focus groups with parent bloggers. They've started talking in Twitter. We're talking with BlogHer about the best way to work with the community. And we are asking for even more feedback in the beta process. So if you decide to download the app, please complete the Polldaddy survey or send email to myvoice@parentpowerindex.com

As everyone who reads my Marketing Roadmaps blog knows, I have my concerns about indexes, but Active Access has done a good job here. There's no subjective component in the Parent Power index and blogs that score the same get the same rank.

Personally, I'm LMAO that my personal/parent blog Snapshot Chronicles, which isn't even a year old and has a very small number of loyal, wonderful subscribers, currently has a better ranking on ParentPower than Marketing Roadmaps (three+ years old, 1000 plus subscribers) has on the AdAge Power150. I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but (hint hint) I think the ParentPower algorithm is better (no offense meant,  AdAge 150), and  hope those parent bloggers whose blogs are not yet included in ParentPower will add them and knock me down the pegs I probably deserve.

The power of parents. That's truly what the folks behind ParentPower want to support, and I urge you to give your feedback. On the application, on the index, on whatever floats your boat. The feedback from the parent blogger focus groups was invaluable, and really, we just want "more, more..."

And finally, power. As in laptop power supply. Marketing Roadmaps readers will remember rmy sad tale, posted on April 3, of a broken iGo power supply during my trip to NYC for BlogHer, the 4-hour search for parts and the $130 I spent on new cables because, contrary to the information provided by iGo support, neither Best Buy nor RadioShack stocked the part I needed. Well, today I got an email from a marketing manager at iGo offering to replace my broken part. While I am tickled pink? purple? some other color? at the fact that finally, a company actually read my frakking blog and responded, customer support already sent a replacement part at no charge to my home. Which is great and much appreciated, but does not compensate for the added costs or the wasted time while I was in NY. Nothing really can, but if they respond back to my  reply, I will tell them that I'd be thrilled with some  free product to give away on Snapshot Chronicles. (Sorry Roadmaps readers, all giveaways happen on the personal blog.)

We do have power as bloggers. Our opinions of companies do matter, as this study by SNCR demonstrates, and companies are starting to listen. Slowly.

So use that power wisely. Don't bitch to hear the sound of your own voice or read the melody of your own words.

Write to change things for the better.

That's power.

---

Addendum - credit where credit is due (4/30/08)

Kim Moldofsky wanted to make sure everyone knows that credit for the weekly post sharing idea goes to Jodi at www.momsfavoritestuff.com 

In my zeal to be transparent about my small part in the ParentPower project, it came across to some readers as though this was my project. While I think ParentPower is a great product and hope folks try it out, I simply provided some advice about the parent blogger space. ParentPower was developed by Active Access. Livingston Communications and Kami Huyse led the product marketing, strategy and PR, and Shannon Whitley developed the Index algorithm.

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Posted @ 11:04PM in Blogger relations, Charity, Customers | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Apr 16, 2008

What I learned from Camp Baby (part 2 of 2)

On Monday, I covered the the mom bloggers' perceptions of Johnson and Johnson's Camp Baby and I was hoping to follow that up with an interview with the event organizers. Unfortunately, they haven't responded to my queries. I can only hope that it was because my emails got caught in their spam filter or something...

While I could take a guess at their goals for the event, my speculation would still just be my opinion, and I certainly can't pass judgment on whether it was a success. That's their call, based on what they hoped to achieve.

But I go on vacation on Friday and need to wrap up my J&J coverage before I leave. Other stories beckon. For now, we'll have to be satisfied with their public statement about the event on their blog and this short article in BrandWeek.

Instead, this wrap-up post will focus on what we can all learn from Camp Baby. Starting with some advice from two women who attended. I asked them what advice they would give to another consumer products company considering doing a similar event. Jodi, from Mom's Favorite Stuff said:

"I’d recommend re-vamping the invitation process.  It should have been more streamlined, and more explicit (ie: no kids, space is limited, etc). If another consumer products firm wanted to do something similar, I’d just recommend being very clear and transparent.  Explain the objectives, the expectations, and I think most mommy bloggers will appreciate it!"

Christina from A Mommy Story also pointed out that they packed a lot into a very short time, and it took her a couple days to recover from the exhaustion. Her advice for another company trying to reach out to mom bloggers:

"Events like these will work to draw in a lot of attention - just look at all of the Twitter noise from those three days! But be prepared for the snark as well as the positive blogging. And please, if you ask for our opinion about your products, be ready for a lot of criticism along with praise. We're an educated bunch, and we know what we're talking about. Take our suggestions seriously. I will be watching to see if J&J implements any of the suggestions we gave them."

Let's make these the foundation for our learning points.

One. Be clear and explicit from the get-go. Make your expectations clear so the bloggers can set theirs. If you are going to do an event (more about my evolving opinion of events in a bit), define your group carefully and as narrowly as possible. If you can't accommodate nursing moms or people who can't stay the whole time, don't invite them.

Two. Transparency. It is more than just asking bloggers to acknowledge the junket. It starts with clearly communicating the objectives of your event to the participants. It also means being honest about your agenda. Christina commented in her email, which I quoted in the earlier post, that it was clear that the sessions all had an unacknowledged product component. Guess what: the women figured it out.

Three. It's not a one-way conversation any more. Just because a company says it is so does not mean that customers/bloggers will believe it. If you ask for feedback and opinions, be prepared. For critcism and to take some action. Or don't ask. As Christina points out in her comment above, the women at Camp Baby had strong concerns about chemicals in baby products. Did J&J take them seriously? Only time will tell, but it does sound like the company was surprised at the strength of the bloggers' convictions. And knowledge about the subject.

Four. You've read it here before. Read the blogs. Over time, not over night. You have to know what the bloggers are interested in -- to invite them, to create a program that interests them, to have a relationship. There isn't a ranking system or index available that can replace the knowledge gained by truly getting to know someone. At a minimum, as Julie (mothergoosemouse) says in the comments to my previous J&J  post, at least read the About Page. You'll be amazed at the wealth of information.

Finally, and this is my opinion, not something from the feedback or comments about Camp Baby -- consider that a blow-out event may not be the best way to engage over time with the customers you are trying to reach.

Lindsay Ferrier (Suburban Turmoil) wrote this week about how the momosphere is changing, and  not necessarily for the better. The focus on monetizing the blog, getting ad revenue, paid posts and all expenses paid junkets, whether to New Brunswick New Jersey or Orlando, has created a different, less friendly world than before. So far 72 comments and counting.

So the question is, what is the best way for companies to engage with bloggers? With their customers.

Sure, a big event can be a lot of fun -- even for the organizers, there is a certain exhiliration in having pulled it off, but wining and dining is a date. Getting to know someone, helping them achieve their goals, adding value consistently over time. That's a relationship. As a marketer, I want a long-term relationship with customers. Not a one night stand. Generally, those aren't terribly satisfying.

How can you help the blogger all the time, not just once? Access to company resources for research? Involvement in new product development? User Councils? Think outside the box, and not just about getting this or that product reviewed. What is the customer relationship with the company over time? What will make her love you? Why do you love her?

If you work for one of those consumer companies salivating over the mom blogger segment, or even a smaller firm that wants to reach women bloggers, including mom bloggers, I have some advice for you.

If you want to reach women bloggers, especially in the United States and Canada, don't dump thousands of dollars into a big event. Devote a fraction, just a fraction, of that budget, to supporting a BlogHers Act initiative. This year, the focus is on maternal health in the US, the environment in Canada, but there are other causes within this umbrella as well. I guarantee you, you will reach more people, garner more positive attention for your company, your brand, than any slick event.

Here are just a few ideas, all of which I came up with driving to a business lunch today. Imagine what we could do with a bit more thought.

       
  • Make a donation. Through BlogHer's widget or through a blogger whose cause you support;
    •    
  • Give products to women bloggers in your network for giveaways/raffles on their blogs;
    •    
  • Match donations over some specified period;
    •    
  • Create a contest or giveaway on your site to benefit BlogHers Act -- more complex than the other ideas but potentially quite rewarding.

Keep in mind,  this is how I make my living, but today, in this post, the advice is free. I hope like hell someone pays attention.

But, no fooling, you want to explore one of these ideas and need some help, give me a call. 978 562 5979.

 

UPDATE 4/20: I have spoken to Lori Dolginoff, but just haven't had time to write up the interview. Look for it later this coming week.

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Posted @ 10:04PM in Blogger relations, BlogHer, Charity | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

Apr 3, 2008

The power trip

Some of you may have seen my tweets yesterday about my broken iGo power supply. In which case you will know that the power trip to which I refer has little to do with my ego and everything to do with my journey to find something, anything that would power my laptop and my Blackberry.

Here is the woeful tale. On the train to NYC on Wednesday, my iGo power adapter cord broke. It being the ONLY power supply I have with me for my laptop and my Blackberry and my iPod, I was pretty well screwed. I called my husband from the train and asked him to call iGo customer support to find out where in NY, preferably near the hotel, I could get a replacement part. Luckily, I only bought it in late January and still had the box with the model number in my office.

God bless my husband and high marks for effort to the iGo support techs. They had to do multiple calls because they had to check with me twice with questions about the broken bits. The recommended solution was for me to pick up a replacement part here in NYC. The iGo support tech told David that Radio Shack and Best Buy stocked the part, so off I went to the Radio Shack in the Manhattan Mall right next to the hotel. Unfortunately, Radio Shack did not have the part, so the Radio Shack sales rep recommended a basic wall adapter. Ka-ching $40.00 Back to the hotel I go to charge my phone and get some work done.

Then we have the OOPS. The wall adapter does NOT work with the laptop tip, only the small device tips. Back I go to Radio Shack. Where I learn that you have to buy a full converter package to charge a laptop. Wondering why the Radio Shack sales rep earlier in the day didn't know that, off I go to Best Buy (12 blocks away) to see if they have the replacement part.

Best Buy on 44th & 5th doesn't stock ANY iGo accessories of ANY kind. And I'm getting desperate. So I buy a regular power supply. Ka-ching $90.00

If you are keeping track, I've now spent $130.00, and about 3 hours on my "power trip." On top of the time that David spent on the phone with the iGo support techs while I was on the train. Because a $130.00 product that I've had for about 2 months broke. If you are still keeping track, that's $260.00 all in.

Now, iGo is sending the replacement part to the house, but really what the company should have done is fed-exed the replacement part to me here at the hotel. At their cost, not mine. From some of my husband's comments, it sounds like he did discuss this possibility with the iGo tech, but the overnight shipping would have been at my cost, not iGo's. Since all I needed to do was buy a replacement part, why spend the money...

Well, it didn't work out that way. I think the iGo techs meant well, but the information was bad. And I wasted time and money.

Tuesday I wrote, once again, that companies don't seem to be replying to bloggers' unsolicited comments, and it doesn't seem to matter whether the posts are negative or positive. The silence is generally deafening unless it is a very high profile blogger. I have no illusions about my  profile so it doesn't surprise me that I've never heard from AAA, who I blasted in December, and Verizon Wireless, whose customer service I have complimented on more than one occasion both here and on Twitter.

Let's see if iGo is paying attention to the the blogosphere beyond the A-list...

The really top marks for this whole mess go to my husband for trying to sort this out for me while I was on the train. If you see him, tell him I said so.

He doesn't read my blog either.

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Posted @ 11:04AM in Blogger relations, Blogging, Charity, Customers | Comments (3) | TrackBack (1)

Jul 18, 2007

Slurping Life and love for Parker

cross posted to Snapshot Chronicles

Last month, I  told you the story of Katie Gardner, off to Uganda to take photos with children in the IDP camps. Katie was a recipient of donated photo gear that HP sent bloggers who wrote about the Capture Your Ever After photo contest.

Today, I want to tell you what Melody from Slurping Life has decided to do with her thank you gear. She is hosting an "online love offering" to raise money for the healthcare costs of a young boy with numerous medical issues. The HP photo gear is the featured prize in the associated raffle.

When we came up with the idea to give the bloggers some gear to donate to a charity of their choice, we knew they would have no trouble coming up with deserving recipients.

But the creativity of their choices has exceeded my wildest expectations. That a digital camera and printer and some photo paper could make a real difference in the life of a sick little boy and his family... That a digital camera and printer and some photo paper could make a real difference for the children in the IDP camps...

Makes you feel good. Real good.

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Posted @ 3:07PM in Charity | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Jun 26, 2007

Finding Hope in Photos: Children and Uganda

cross-posted to Snapshot Chronicles

This spring, as I wrote in May, I did some blogger outreach to mom bloggers about HP's Capture Your Ever After photo contest. This post is a direct result of that project.

The background: Part of friendship is to say thank you. We decided to thank the bloggers who wrote about the contest by making a donation of an HP digital camera, compact photo printer and some supplies to a charity of their choice.We also decided to send the gear directly to the women, so they could have the pleasure of donating it personally to their favorite local charities.

Because the donation aspect was not promoted in advance, it was a bit of a surprise to the bloggers when they got the email offering them the gear, but  none of them had any trouble thinking of a cause that meant something to them personally. They also all took the time to let us know what they planned to do with it, even though we didn't make it a requirement that they do so.

Tracey Clark's donation is going to war-torn Northern Uganda next month with Katie Gardner of San Diego.

Katie is part of a group connected with Children of the Nations. They will be spending three weeks working with children and families in the IDP (internally displaced people) camps.  Some of the folks going will be doing counseling, but Katie and small group of four or five others will be doing photo projects with the children.

She told me that working with third-world children, giving them a chance to use photography as a creative outlet has been a dream of hers ever since she saw the documentary Born into Brothels which documents the lives of children who live in Calcutta's red-light district.

"When kids take pictures, they have a unique view. I'm really looking forward to helping these children experience the world in new ways through photography. I hope it gives them hope for the future."

Including the camera and compact printer donated by HP, Katie has two brand new digital cameras, two printers, a handful of used polaroid cameras and cash donations from friends and family to purchase supplies. They still need a scanner so they can scan in the polaroids and leave the originals with the children. If  you'd like to help, drop Katie a note at katieann10@gmail.com.

Katie thinks it's important that we hear and see the smaller stories from Africa and other third world nations, not just the larger than life efforts of celebrities like Madonna and Bono so she is developing a blog to document her Uganda trip. You'll also be reading more about Katie's project on Snapshot Chronicles and on Tracey's blog, Picture This.

Over the summer, Katie's kids in Uganda, Tracey's daughter Julia (age 9) in California,  my son Douglas (age 7) here in Massachusetts and two friends of Katie's in San Diego, ages 7 and 9, will take pictures using some simple themes, including laughter, friends, sunshine and where I live. When Katie returns in August, we'll do a series of posts showing their worlds through their eyes. It should be interesting to see the differences and similarities between the American and Ugandan children.

Katie says she hopes these pictures will help Americans better understand what is happening in Uganda:

"Not only do I want the kids in Uganda to have a creative outlet to think about their lives in a new way, I want people back home to be transformed by seeing the world though these kids' eyes. And I want both sides to really see the potential for hope in places where people have been suffering for so many years. I want people back home to be moved to see how they can make a difference; and even if not in Africa, then how can we make a difference in our own backyard? I'm lucky enough to go overseas, but it's so easy to be the catalyst for change in our own families and neighborhoods when we allow ourselves to open our eyes to what's going on around the world."

Bon voyage, Katie.

*****************

Check out Invisible Children, another group that helps the children of Uganda.

Update, 27 June: Tracey's post Picture Hope

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Posted @ 9:06AM in Blogging, Charity, Douglas/Dogs, Travel | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Jan 20, 2007

I'm Backstage at Sundance

In case any of you were wondering where I've been for the last week, and warning, where I am likely to be much of next week as well, I'm Backstage at Sundance.

Well not literally of course. I'm covering general news and monitoring the blogosphere for interesting Sundance tidbits for the HP blog, all from GetGood Strategic Marketing world headquarters in Hudson, Mass. But as we all know, there's only so much time to blog in any given week, so for the next little while, most of my writing will be over there, not here. And of course there's lots of great Sundance blogging from the folks on the ground at the festival -- film reviews, press conference reports, celebrity sightings. Be sure to check it out.

A few things I definitely want to note for my marketing and PR readers. I posted yesterday at Backstage about how Sundance is really embracing social media. In the last two weeks, they announced deals with iTunes and YouTube. Starting Monday, folks will be able to purchase short films from this year's festival on iTunes. And on YouTube, there's going to be a Sundance Channel section with all sorts of Sundance content -- festival coverage of course, but also clips from programming and so on. Not to mention the festival screenings being held in Second Life. More details and links in my post over at Backstage at Sundance.

HP is trying something new with the Backstage blog this year: "En Español." Many of the general posts as well as posts of interest to the Hispanic audience will be translated into Spanish. From HP Hispanic Marketing Manager Kathleen Haley's post today:

... we will have the most exciting entries about the festival, as well as specific entries that are relevant to the Hispanic market and our Hispanic readers -- whether that be a celebrity sighting, a great movie (Padre Nuestro or Summer Rain directed by Antonio Banderas) or a big event. Keep coming back to see the latest on HP and Sundance en Español!

Finally, regular readers know how strongly I feel about donating to charity, early and often. Friday at Sundance, actor Kevin Bacon announced a new charitable initiative that plays off the well known game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Together with Network for Good, Bacon has created  sixdegrees.org, a charitable community in which celebrities and regular folks alike share their favorite charity. When you donate to someone’s charity through sixdegrees.org, you can display a “badge” from the person whose charity you supported on your Web site or blog. Linking us all together by doing good.

You can read more about sixdegrees.org and Network for Good at the Diva Marketing blog and my Backstage post (updated).

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Posted @ 7:01PM in Blogging, Charity, Sundance | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Dec 9, 2006

The giving season

Things have been pretty hectic the last couple of weeks, with no signs of slowing down until after Christmas. So posting here will be quite sporadic.

Before I (sort of) disappear to the holiday rush, I wanted to remind readers and friends that the best business gifts are donations to charity.  So when you sit down to send holiday gifts to your clients and employees, instead of a gift basket or a bottle of wine, consider making a donation. If you know the person well enough, it is nice if the charity is important to them, but that isn't absolutely critical.

Here are the organizations that I am supporting this holiday season in honor of my clients: 

Have a great holiday season, whatever traditions you celebrate, and don't forget to drop a few bucks in the Salvation Army kettle.

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Posted @ 1:12PM in Charity | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Jul 10, 2006

New Workshop: Getting the Message Out - Be Heard, Understood and Remembered 

Two months ago, I gave a short talk on communications to one of the dog clubs to which I belong. This group does a fair amount of lobbying on the state level, and the club officers wanted to give the members some guidance on how to speak effectively with legislators and other influencers. I've turned the material into an one-hour workshop:

Getting the Message Out - Be Heard, Understood and Remembered 
Whether you are talking to a reporter, lobbying a legislator, or speaking to your employees, you need to be heard, understood and remembered. Our one-hour workshop “Getting the Message Out” offers three tips that will help you tell your important message effectively and memorably.


While this is a for-profit endeavor when it comes to for-profit organizations, I'm happy to do the workshop pro bono for charities and civic groups. All I ask is that the group cover my expenses to get to their location. Drop me an email at sgetgood@getgood.com if you'd like more information.

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Posted @ 9:07AM in Charity, Politics/Policy, PR | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Apr 27, 2006

Giving Back and Where WAS Scott?

It turns out I was the winner in the "Where's Scott" contest held by guest bloggers Andrea Weckerle and Bill Green over at the Media Orchard. My guess, "Maybe he is in France doing damage control for Dominique de Villepin," apparently came the closest. We'll find out tomorrow where he actually was.

I was asked to post my desired prize in the Orchard comments. After cycling through all the obvious jokes like give me all your traffic and so forth, I decided to be somewhat serious:

"For my prize for approximating Scott's location, I'd like him to make a donation to a charity, amount and charity of his choosing. And then tell us about the charity and why it is important to him. He doesn't have to share the amount."

Why did I pick this? Because I believe in giving back. Whatever our personal or professional problems may be on any given day, most of us in the PR/marketing blogging community are doing pretty well. We may not be rich or famous, but we probably have food on the table, a roof over our heads and the cash to fill our gas tanks. And we probably all support a number of charities as well as volunteer for community and charitable organizations. But... we rarely talk about it unless there is a tragedy like the tsunami or Katrina.

Robert French has tried to get the party started with Operation LinkLove but we need to do and say more, and more often. And not just about charities that are embracing social media. Every so often, we need to step away from the latest industry brouhaha and talk a little about the organizations and causes that mean something to us. They may not be blogging, but we are, and we can help spread the word.

That's a meme well worth participating in.

So here are just a few of the causes and organizations I have supported recently:

American Diabetes Association. The Hudson MA school system does a School Walk for Diabetes each year. All the children, starting in kindergarten, are invited to participate. Douglas and I walked a bit more than two miles, which is a lot for a six-year old. Why did we do it? Well, we have family members who have diabetes, but just as importantly, I wanted to start Douglas off early with the idea that we do what we can to give back.

Muscular Dystrophy Association. Fellow marketing blogger Yvonne DiVita went to jail for a day for MDA, and I contributed to her bail money.

School Year Abroad. This program is for high school juniors and seniors. It gives them an opportunity to spend a year in another country, living with a local family, but studying in a "regular" high school program so they can still graduate on time. I am an alumni (France 78-79) and have contributed to the scholarship fund nearly every year since I graduated from college. It was one of the best educational experiences of my life... still... and I would not have been able to go if I had not received financial aid.

International Association of Nobodies. Proceeds from the Cafepress store will be donated to charity. Buy your t-shirt today. Wear it proudly.

What charities do you support, and why? I'm not tagging anyone -- except Scott :-)  Tag yourself and give the causes you support some airtime.

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Posted @ 10:04AM in Blogging, Charity | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Apr 12, 2006

Cleaning out my Bloglines Closet

I read a lot of feeds, on a variety of subjects, and take advantage of bloglines "keep new" to save things to look at/blog later. When I'm busy, the "blog closet" gets pretty full, and quite often, many of the things I've saved for later are over and done with.

But some things are timeless.

Others worthwhile.

And of course, some things, you just know I am going to comment on.

Like character blogs.  At Beyond Madison Avenue today, Mack Collier writes that character blogs would be a good solution to carry on cancelled TV shows. You betcha. Just take a look at the sheer volume of fan fiction on the Internet.  I would still pay for a Whedon-produced character blog featuring the characters from the Buffy/Angel-verses.

Great advice from the Copyblogger. Writing about this week's NY Times article "This Boring Headline Is Written For Google," which discussed the ramifactions of search engine optimization on the news business, he reminds us: "Write for people, people." Amen. We don't need fancy footwork (or cute headlines) as much as we need clear, concise writing. A little time spent there can save a boatload of hassle, not to mention cost.

Bonus links

Two from Neville Hobson: a European business blogging survey and some info on search behavior

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Posted @ 8:04AM in Blogging, Charity, Fake/Fictional Blogs, Humour, Media, Politics/Policy | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Mar 20, 2006

Grab Bag: Business Blogging in Wisconsin, World Water Day and Dr. Who

Last week was my trip to the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee to present my Business Blogging 101 Workshop (full day format) at  the UWM School of Business Center for Technology Innovation. The hospitality of the faculty hosts was superb, the room was terrific and the audience totally engaged. I enjoyed most of my trip. Especially dinner at Mader's German restaurant the evening before the seminar. YUM.

The only bad part? And the reason why this blog has been silent all weekend, a time I normally post? Around two in the afternoon on Friday, I got really sick. Flu sick. The kind of sick where you want to curl up and die sick. I toughed it out and finished the seminar (a bit early) and dragged myself to the airport to wait for the flight home. But I was not a pretty sight, trust me. I didn't get home until midnight, and it took most of the weekend to get my equilibrium back. So I went 'net-less until I checked email late yesterday afternoon.

What did I do instead? Besides sleep you mean? I read an absolutely terrific book, Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. It's the legend of the Grail, but told from a female perspective, with dual storylines, one modern, one medieval. I highly recommend it. Think about it -- it was so good, I didn't miss my blog reading....

It must be a Grail period for me -- tomorrow we are going to see Spamalot. From the sublime to the sublimely ridiculous!

To a more serious matter: World Water Day, March 22, 2006. Brought to my attention by blog buddy Yvonne DiVita. Yvonne has always helped me get the word out about charities I have been involved with, and I am more than pleased to be able to return the favor, and for such a worthy cause to boot!

Some facts from  WaterPartners International, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping fight unsafe and inadequate water supplies.

  • In 1992, the UN General Assembly designated March 22 as “World Water Day” to draw international attention to the critical lack of clean, safe drinking water worldwide.
  • The Global water crisis is the leading cause of death and disease in the world, taking the lives of more than 14,000 people each day, 11,000 of whom are children under age 5.
  • The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 6 kilometers. More than 200 million hours are spent every day by women and girls walking to collect water from distant, often polluted sources—time that could be better spent on more productive endeavors such as work and school.

Why hasn't this problem been solved? Mostly because people just aren't aware of the crisis. Those with the money to help aren't touched by it.  In the developed world, the biggest water shortage we typically face is whether we can water our lawns in the summer. We buy water at the store, to which we drive in our cars....

And with my most cynical hat on, it's about water, women and children, not oil and WMDs.... It just doesn't get the play, in our politics or our policy, that the more macho issues do. 

So we need to make people aware. I urge you to check out the WaterPartners Web site. Their common-sense approach seems to be making a difference. Make a donation if you can. Blog about World Water Day. Help spread the word however you can. Even if you just tell one other person.

Because we can do without a lot of things in this world. Safe drinking water is NOT one of them.

And after you do a good thing, treat yourself to the new Dr. Who!!! Yes, the good doctor is back, in his 9th incarnation. The new series debuted last year on the BBC and now US viewers can see the episodes on Sci-Fi channel. Premiere was last Friday, with 2 episodes, Rose and The End of the World,  but it's Sci-Fi -- if you (or your TIVO) missed it, the shows will repeat two or three times before the next new episode this Friday.

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Posted @ 1:03PM in Blogging, Charity, Travel | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Feb 17, 2006

HP Auction Results and Thanks

The HP Auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity ended last night. Top portraits in the Auction:

  1. The Police (by Kevin Mazur), winning bid $1025
  2. Jessica Biel, $640.16
  3. The Beastie Boys, $505
  4. Terrence Howard and Lucy Liu, both at $455
  5. Kevin Smith, $405

HP is matching the winning bids on each portrait, up to $1000 each.

A huge thank you to all the fan site, forum and list owners who helped spread the word to their fellow fans. In particular, we are extremely grateful to Jessica Biel and www.jessebiel.com for including the auction in two emails to her fans.

And my personal thanks to blog pals, old and new, for mentioning the auction:

NOTE: June 3, 2007 -- Comments and Trackbacks closed on this post due to comment spam.

Posted @ 1:02PM in Blogging, Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Sundance | Comments (0)

Feb 13, 2006

Browster Promo, HP Auction, Presidential Potshot

From blog pal Elisa Camahort (Worker Bees), news of a Valentine's Day contest from her client Browster. Originally conceived of as a local contest for a V-Day dinner at a chic San Francisco restaurant, the company realized that dinner at a restaurant eliminated anyone not in the Bay Area. So it added three iPods as prizes. Well done! Check it out!

Three days left in the HP Charity Auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Lots of people are checking it out, but the bidding is slow. Please take a look -- if someone you know is in the market for an HP Photosmart printer, you might be able to get it at a good price, and help out a deserving charity. Plus you get a neat signed WireImage photo of a celebrity that you can keep or give as a gift or re-auction for that matter. Some of the celebs: Aaron Eckhart, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Keener, William H. Macy, Al Gore and Terrence Howard.

Finally, tip of the hat to BL Ochman for the Dick Cheney Quail Hunt game. Nuff said.

Posted @ 7:02PM in Blogging, Charity, Holiday, Marketing, Sundance | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Feb 9, 2006

Auction Bargains!!

Just a quick update on the HP Charity Auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Some pictures have certainly rocketed through the roof -- Jessica Biel, The Police and The Beastie Boys, but there are still bargains to be had, you fans of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Toni Collette, Aaron Eckhart, Daryl Hannah and Rufus Wainwright.

Please check it out and help spread the word -- with an email, a blog post, a phone call. Whatever you can do. More people means more bids means more money for Habitat for Humanity.

Thanks.

Posted @ 10:02PM in Charity, Sundance | Comments (0) | TrackBack (2)

Feb 7, 2006

Charity Auction Tips; the Make The Difference Network

The best thing about working on the HP Charity Auction for Habitat for Humanity is the people I meet doing the fan outreach. They are always so willing to help spread the word.

Today, as I was working away at my desk, I answered the phone and on the other end was Jon Biel. He's the father of actress Jessica Biel, one of the stars whose photo is in the auction.

He had found me through the Backstage at Sundance blog and my own Web site (helps to have a unique name!) and was calling to find out more about the auction so he could include it in an update to Jessica's mailing list.

He also wanted to introduce us to the Make The Difference Network, a web portal co-founded by father and daughter:

MTDN is a "National Wish List" where people who want to "Make The Difference" can search, find and fund specific "Wishes" and "Needs" that have been listed by nonprofit organizations. (from their home page)

I think they have a very cool idea. Smaller community charities can't muster the same support that the big charities do, in no small measure because they can't get the word out. Many companies want to help but they don't know where to start. This provides a forum for both funders and charities to find each other.

Just one more reason why I really love this project!

Speaking of the auction: as I posted the other day, the auction is live, and ready for bids. Please check it out. Some tips:

  • Check when your auction ends. You MUST be at your computer when your auction ends. Otherwise, someone will jump in and just top your bid. There is a huge market for celebrity autographs, and a whole lot of savvy eBay vets. You must be in a position to place a closing bid in person if you really want to win.
  • If you want the printer, and think buying it through the auction is a good way to also give back, good for you. A tip: some of our stars are really well known and their photos will go for a lot. Some of the prices are already climbing up there, and the auction has only been live for one day. Others are less well known, and you may be able to get a good deal. So, watch the auction and bid appropriately.

Tags: Charity, Sundance, Jessica Biel, Habitat for Humanity

Posted @ 9:02PM in Charity, Sundance | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Feb 6, 2006

HP Charity Auction is Live

The HP Charity Auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity is live. Check it out.

Tags: Charity, Sundance

Posted @ 8:02PM in Charity, Sundance | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Jan 29, 2006

Sundance ends, HP charity auction begins

Cross posted on Backstage at Sundance

Well, Sundance opened with “Friends with Money” and closed with “Alpha Dog.” There has to be a message in there somewhere – perhaps more than one. :-)

The awards were given last night – FilmBlab has the list  and all the corporate sponsors and beautiful people are packing up and going home. Returning Park City to the residents, skiers and boarders that normally make up the winter population.

It was nice to see so many films by and about women: the afore-mentioned “Friends with Money,” “Stephanie Daley,” and “Come Early Morning” among them. And to hear about films like “Little Miss Sunshine” that almost didn’t get made…. and then hit big. I’m also looking forward to “Thank You For Smoking,” the uncut version. :-)

Now that the film festival is over, the work on the HP Charity Auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity begins in earnest. My job, as I’ve mentioned before, is to reach out to the online fan bases of the celebrities who participated. They are, after all, pretty likely to want to bid on a signed poster and autographed photo printer of their favorite star.

UPDATE: Here's the complete list as of January 29th.

Jennifer Aniston (pictured with Catherine Keener)
Jessica Biel
Nick Cassavettes (“Alpha Dog” group photo) **Updated**
Nick Cave
Toni Collette
Matt Dillon
Aaron Eckhart
Ben Foster (“Alpha Dog” group photo) **Updated**
Gina Gershon
Al Gore
Daryl Hannah
Josh Hartnett
Emile Hirsch (“Alpha Dog” group photo) **Updated**
Terrence Howard
Catherine Keener (pictured with Jennifer Aniston)
Lucy Liu
William H. Macy
Joel Madden of Good Charlotte
Guy Pearce
Laura Prepon
Michael Rapaport
Kevin Smith
Amber Tamblyn
Justin Timberlake (“Alpha Dog” group photo) **Updated**
Wilmer Valderrama
Rufus Wainwright
John Waters
Anton Yelchin (“Alpha Dog” group photo) **Updated**
The Beastie Boys
The Police: Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers (photo only)

The eBay auction starts February 6th.  You can see thumbnails of most of the portraits on the WireImage site , and by the time the auction begins, you’ll be able to see images of the signed posters and printers on the auction site.  We’ll also be posting some of the images on Backstage at Sundance.

So, check it out, and pass the word!

Tags: Blogs, Blogging, Charity, Sundance

Posted @ 10:01AM in Blogging, Charity, Sundance | Comments (0) | TrackBack (2)

Jan 28, 2006

Public Company PR: The issue of material disclosure

One of the things that happens when you have a time-sensitive project like the HP Sundance blog …. You end up blogging there a lot, and “at home” not at all. And a lot of interesting stuff has been piling up in my bloglines for “when I get around to it.”

So here’s the first issue that caught my attention when I wasn’t perusing WireImage for pictures of Jennifer Aniston, Wilmer Valderrama, Amber Tamblyn and Josh Hartnett for posts about the stars in the celebrity auction.

Todd at Topaz Partners and Amy Gahran of Contentious have been discussing whether press releases (and the newswires) are really required to meet SEC disclosure requirements for public companies.

The Topaz post that indexes a series of posts on the topic: Blog series: Press releases, public companies and blogs .

Amy’s post on same: Disclosure, Press Releases, and Life Support: Can We Pull that Plug After All?

So far, their conclusion is that yes, the wires are still probably the safest bet for a public company to guarantee compliance for material disclosures, but they seem to be moving to an argument that the form of the press release could change and the company would still be in compliance.

Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

  • Navigating the material versus non-material question is not easy, especially for smaller public companies. Sure, the financials and major corporate changes are easy. Material. New reseller. Not material. Unless it’s a major new channel for you and then it might be.  New product. Probably material. Product upgrade. Not material. Or maybe it is….if it is likely to affect your results materially. And so forth.

    There are a lot of gray lines when you get going and that’s why corporate communication directors at public companies (a job I have had more than a few times) have a tendency to treat everything with the same process as material news. It is safer, and in the total scheme of things, the fee for a release on pr newswire or business wire is WAY cheaper than the fines and damage to reputation of the firm if you’re wrong. 

    So, in order to really explore new methods for the dissemination of non-material news, we need a bit more clarity here. Until then, public companies are a bit stuck.
  • I notice they are going to touch on audience in later posts. This is key, because one of the principal audiences for public company news is the financial markets. Financial analysts are trained, and I mean trained, to watch the wire. You have to go where the audience is, and deliver the info to them in a way they will understand. And they want to go to one place for every firm – not lots of different places for different companies. So, even though RSS delivers the info to them, if everyone isn’t using the same method, it’s more work for them.
  • The press release. Anyone who does corporate communications for more than two minutes learns that the press release is almost irrelevant to the ultimate dissemination of the news. It satisfies disclosure requirements, and as I’ve written before, it has a form that we can easily decipher.

    It is important that it be well written but as far as reaching the media, the word gets out because you contact the right people with the information with the right “pitch.” And because you provide access to newsmakers, fact sheets, photos and other back-up materials that flesh out the story.

    I think we are asking an awful lot if we jettison the press release, and begin subjecting media to multiple different formats that make it harder to understand what is going on. And for some things (financials), the format is pretty well defined. For good reason. Creative approaches are generally frowned upon when it comes to financial results.

    Bottom line: we need a standard format for organizing the news. The press release works okay for me so I am in no hurry to replace it. But that doesn’t mean that it is the only thing I do to reach media (and other audiences) for clients.
  • In this context, I look at the new media as simply another way to get the word out.  A blog can be very effective, but you still need your PR person, for a variety of reasons, not just to reach out to MSM. And you need your sales force or channel partners to reach out to end user customers. And so on.

    When an announcement is definitely NOT material, it makes sense to use a blog to start getting the word out. That’s exactly what we’ve been doing with the stars in the HP charity auction I’m working on right now.  A press release about the auction went out before Sundance started, and a PR person is doing her magic at Sundance. But we’re officially announcing each participant on the blog. Another press release won’t go out until the very end of the festival summarizing everything we’ve already announced on Backstage at Sundance.

    But the blog is not sufficient in and of itself. We’re still using regular PR outreach. And we still have to reach out to fans, which is a process of online research and individual emails to fan sites and blogs to let them know that their favorite celebrity’s signed photo is in the auction. And of course, remember when you reach out to bloggers and Web sites, you had better target your audience. Know that they’ll likely be interested in what you are sending, or it’s just spam.

    It is the sum of the activity, not any one activity, no matter how cool, that gets the result.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to more of their discussion. Check it out, and join in.

Tags: Blogs, Blogging, Charity, Sundance, PR, Public Relations, Marketing

Posted @ 7:01PM in Blogging, Charity, Marketing, PR, Sundance | Comments (4) | TrackBack (1)

Jan 24, 2006

More about Sundance blog and charity auction

HP's Backstage at Sundance blog is progressing nicely. The bloggers are doing a great job sharing their experiences at the festival. And I am having a blast pulling WireImage pictures to accompany our posts about stars who've agreed to participate in the charity auction.

For me, the fact that we are announcing who is participating in the auction on the blog is pretty much the most exciting thing about the blog.

Yes, you read that right: HP is using a blog as a primary method to disseminate news. Now, granted, not news related to its core business, and definitely news well suited to online outreach. And we are also doing PR outreach in the traditional fashion.  But there won’t be a traditional press release about the auction participants until the festival is over, whereas we are releasing the names of the stars on the blog as they join.

Bottom line, in my opinion, it is a very positive step forward when a big company “gets it” in any fashion, large or small.

And the blog is about more than the auction; the HP employees who are its principal writers are on the ground in Park City as volunteers and staff for HP’s many activities throughout the festival. They are blogging about being there, who they meet, where they eat. And so on...

I particularly wanted to alert my readers to the auction. Of course, some of the stars are very well known like Jennifer Aniston and The Police (!) and their pics will probably sell for a lot (or at least they will if I do my job!). But some are less well known, if equally talented, and it is possible to get a cool picture and a cool printer for a decent price that also benefits charity. What could be better than that! Last time, I bid on (and won) the picture and HP printer signed by Alan Cumming. We love the printer and the picture is going in my son’s room (Alan Cumming was in X-Men 2.)

Check it out. Tell them I sent you :-)

Tags: Blogs, Blogging, Charity, Sundance

Posted @ 9:01PM in Blogging, Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Sundance | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Jan 19, 2006

Sundance, HP and me

As some of you know, last fall, I helped HP promote a charity auction of celebrity signed photos and printers from the Toronto Film Festival.

Well, we’re back :-)

HP is a presenting sponsor at the Sundance Film Festival, which opened today, and is doing the auction again, this time to benefit Habitat for Humanity.

As a sponsor, HP has a lot of activity at the festival – from providing the technology backbone to the entire festival, as well as all the festival “printables” (posters, signs, and so forth) to a pretty neat consumer promotion where attendees can win HP digital photography gear. Plus of course, the HP Portrait Studio produced by WireImage, where all the celebrities come to get their portraits done.

As part of the overall Sundance effort, HP decided to do a blog. With all the staff and volunteers on the ground in Park City, we had all the makings of a cool blog: stuff going on and people there to write about it.

So, Backstage at Sundance was born:

The Backstage at Sundance blog is your backstage pass to what’s happening at Sundance. HP is a presenting sponsor at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, and a group of HP employees have agreed to blog all about it. So those of us who can’t be there will feel like we are! Everything from what’s happening on the streets of Park City to interviews with the stars coming into the WireImage Portrait Studio, to film reviews, to a backstage look at the HP technology that’s powering the festival. It will all be here! Plus, the blog will have the first look at the celebrity photos that will be available in our charity auction on eBay in February.

I helped HP with the blog’s editorial development including helping them clarify the overall objectives of the blog, training the bloggers (most of them new to the medium) on general blogging principles, giving them some general guidance on what “blog what you experience” means, identifying  “beats” such as film reviews and Portrait Studio reports, and generally supporting the writer-volunteers. I also am blogging for them (from a distance unfortunately) during the festival and auction, mostly about things I find on the ‘net about Sundance.

Our hope was that the bloggers’ excitement at being at Sundance would permeate their writing, and from initial reports, I know it will. I spoke to one of the bloggers this morning and she was jazzed! She had arrived in Park City last night, and already had about four blog posts in her head from people she had met everywhere from the airport to the shuttle to the restaurant at dinner!! She just needed to get online and write the posts!!

And that’s the key – real people will be blogging from Sundance all about their experiences. HP products may be mentioned, but the bloggers have been told that there is absolutely no requirement to ever mention a product. It fits what you want to write, go for it. It doesn’t, that’s fine too. A fun, entertaining blog will enhance the HP brand far more than a bunch of posts about products. 

Some of the things we blog you may be able to read elsewhere. And some you won’t. For example, the PortraitStudio is not open to the public; Backstage at Sundance is the only place you’ll be able to get behind the scenes. As well as get a first look at which celebrity portraits will be in the auction.

And for me, that is one of the key parts of the blog. I will again be doing the fan outreach for the charity auction once we know which celebrities have agreed to participate. Having an active blog really helps set the stage.

So: if you are interested in the Sundance Film Festival or think you might want to bid in a charity auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity, please check out Backstage at Sundance !!!

Tags: Blogs, Blogging, Charity, Sundance

Posted @ 8:01PM in Blogging, Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Sundance | Comments (1) | TrackBack (1)

Sep 30, 2005

Big damn auction, big damn movie

I realized yesterday that if you weren't interested in charity auctions or Joss Whedon's Serenity, there wasn't much on the Roadmap for you this week.

And there still isn't... although I promise to move onto other topics soon. Maybe next week.

The HP Charity Auction ended last night, and by all accounts a success. The auction itself raised a little less than $10,000, and with HP's matching funds, each charity (DATA and the American Red Cross) got more than $9,000. HP will be publishing a webpage with all the details, and when I get the link, I'll post it.

Everyone involved learned a lot in the process, from both our mistakes and the things that went well. One thing that is absolutely critical is to allow enough time for viral marketing to work. It takes time for messages to spread into an audience of any size, even if you do billboards and primetime TV ads. You need even more time for a grassroots message. The good news, though, is once it takes hold, it *does* snowball. Our example without a doubt is how fast the word spread in Elijah Wood's fanbase about the auction.

And speaking of grassroots marketing .... the Big Damn Movie is in general release today. I'm going tonight, more on it tomorrow, but I promise, no spoilers.

And then maybe I'll write about something else :-)

Posted @ 8:09AM in Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Marketing, PR, Serenity / Firefly | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Sep 25, 2005

Serenity, HP Charity Auction

Just a couple of housekeeping things.

First, a reminder that the Joss Whedon film "Serenity" goes into general release this coming Friday September 30th. Whedon did an interview in today's NY Times (tip of the hat to Whedonesque and warning, spoilers). You can find many links to other articles on Whedonesque.

Second, the HP charity auction that I did a fast viral campaign for ends this Thursday, September 29th. While some fan bases have bid certain photos into the stratosphere (Bono at the Super Bowl and Elijah Wood), there are some bargains still to be had, especially if you were thinking of buying an HP Photo Printer anyway.

Posted @ 12:09PM in Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Marketing, Mathom Room, Serenity / Firefly | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Sep 21, 2005

Further HP Charity auction update

HP is matching auction bids, up to $1000 for each photo. HP Charity Auction

Posted @ 9:09PM in Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Marketing, PR | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Sep 20, 2005

HP Charity Auction Update

Well, it is certainly true that some fandoms are more active than others. In the space of a day, the Elijah Wood fans had bid his photo from its starting bid of $99 to more than $300.

Our thanks go out to all the fan sites, blogs and Yahoo! Groups list owners that responded to our email with a post to their members.

And a personal thank you from me to my marketing/PR colleagues who have blogged about the auction so far: Elisa Camahort of Worker Bees, Jill Fallon of the Business of Life, Yvonne Divita of Lip-Sticking, Toby Bloomberg of Diva Marketing, Wayne Hurlbert of Blog Business World, and Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz who covered it on the 19 September For Immediate Release podcast.

I learned this week that the photo of Kate Hudson and Kurt Russell is actually a personal photo taken by director Cameron Crowe during the Festival, which means it won't be available anywhere else but this auction. The picture and the printer are autographed by all three of them. This really would be a special gift for a fan of either actor. If someone wanted to buy it for me, that would be fine too ;-)

Seriously, even if you have no desire to own an autographed picture and printer, these photos are really suberb, and it's fun to see how the stars signed their names. Check out Alan Cumming and Richard E. Grant in particular. You have to click on the slide show, roughly in the middle of each auction page, to see the autographs.

HP Charity Auction on Ebay

Posted @ 8:09PM in Charity, Hurricane Katrina, Marketing | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Sep 18, 2005

Hurricane Katrina Relief, HP Charity Auction, American Red Cross and DATA

Warning: Long Post

I was basically in non-blogging mode when Hurricane Katrina hit and the levees broke, and by the time I got back in blog-gear, it didn’t seem like the blogosphere needed yet another post reminding people to donate to the Red Cross or another relief charity. So I haven’t blogged anything about Katrina or hurricane relief. Until now.

Late Friday afternoon, a good friend who does marketing for HP (Hewlett-Packard) called me. Her latest project is a charity auction on ebay featuring photographs of about 40 stars that attended the Toronto Film Festival. Sponsored by HP, the auction benefits the American Red Cross and DATA, the not-for-profit started by U2 singer Bono that strives to eliminate poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

She had a problem: the project came together so fast that they really didn’t have time to do “traditional” marketing. But if she didn’t get the word out quickly, people wouldn’t know about the auction, which ends on September 29th. She was looking for some marketing help to quickly spread the word, and called me because she knew I was involved in blogging and Internet marketing,

The project was worthwhile and it was a chance to help a friend, so I decided to devote part of my weekend to pulling together a