Gripes and Grins

Protect the sanctity if marriage. Outlaw divorce

I can't remember where I first heard about this movement.  Wasn't Ohlberman.  I can't wait to see Stewart or Colbert interview John Marcotte, the clever man behind this California voter petition to put an amendment outlawing divorce on the California ballot.  If you like this idea, buy a tshirt.  PSA below

This is one of the best videos I've seen in awhile.

http://www.webguild.org/2009/11/how-not-to-be-the-social-media-guru.php

Doc Ellis and the LSD No-No

NoMas-nyc was created by Chris Isenberg, aka "Ise" (pronounced IZ). Like many of our classmates at Stanford, Chris went the startup route -- media, fashion, art.  His creativity is on display at nomas-nyc.com.  Chris and I were friendly in college, but no friends.  We had one very good friend in common -- a roommate that pitched on the baseball team, and later pitched several years in the Baltimore and Arizona organizations. 

From time to time I hear about No Mas.  On business in New York, I'll see the hipsters wearing No Mas gear on the streets.  I'll hear about the amazing bags and apparel from friends, or read reviews of No Mas gear in mens fashion rags in executive lounges in airports and hotels. Chris has done well, and he is still into the things that he always loved.

Isenberg is a true baseball fan.  Really, he is a sports junky.  You have to know this to understand the No Mas line and the art he produces.  The following animated short was produced by Chris -- you'll love it.  It's got a feel that matched the innocence of the 1970s, when American was experimenting in all directions and the fashion, art was 'far out'.  The short is about one of the most astounding events in baseball -- the day Doc Ellis through a no-hitter after a two-day acid bender. 

Nice work, Chris. 

Too soon?

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

New Twitter profile: Useless data

Check out #uselessdata for pointless data points: twitter.com/uselessdata.

Mobile post sent by AaronB using Utterli.  Replies.

Awesome example of bad email marketing

I typically use this blog to share and highlight instances where big brands fail to meet their brand promises. Sometimes I applaud bigger brands that are doing a good job -- Microsoft and Starbucks are recent examples.  Sometimes, I post about startups that are trying to do something new or better.  On a rare occasion, I dump on a small outfit doing something cuddy.  This is one of those situations.

I get a lot of email.  My email addresses are bought, sold, rented to all kinds of business consultants and solution providers.  I get 300-400 emails per day, maybe 1-in-5 is from a fellow employee, partner or vendor. As the math indicates, I receive a lot of marketing emails.  In addition, I send out a lot of  marketing email messages to parents registered with SmartyCard.  Establishing my cred here, I've been handling outbound email marketing for consumer Internet companies for more than a decade. 

Basic marketing tip for you: When you're trying to get someone's business via email marketing, don't insult them or antagonize them.  I know this seems intuitive, but you'd be surprised what kind of stuff rolls into my inbox.  Take the email below for example.