We're all Marketers: It all Starts Somewhere.

In Seth Godin's latest book, Meatball Sundae, he provides an excellent definition of "marketers".

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to sit in on a webcast hosted by Godin, and as a gesture, Seth sent all of us who participated a copy of a his new book. Like his others, Meat Ball Sundae doesn't disappoint.

Seth writes, "What do marketers do? We spread ideas. We tell stories people want to hear and believe. We translate emotion into action. We close the sale. We make things people want to buy. "

He goes on to write, "marketers run things. They always have. Sometimes, though, the people running things don't realize they're marketers."

Marketers are in a privileged position to enact change. It reminded me of the most eye opening documentaries on marketing and the consumer that I have seen. Century of the Self is a BBC documentary that examines the origins of public relations, and the impact that Edward Bernays had on marketing and the use of emotion to sell. Very eye opening.

It All Starts Somewhere

It's important to remember that ideas, such as businesses, politics, social structure or cultural identity, aren't as they are just because. They are the result of the direct action of individuals, and often happen over a small period of time.

Edward Bernays , Martin Luther King, and our local David Suzuki, have worked many hard years to have an impact on our society. In the rear view mirror of history, though, the changes they've helped bring about will have appeared to have happened swiftly.

So the next time you get caught up in the way things are, remember, we all can make a difference. We're all marketers.

Spit: To Trace Your Genetic Makeup

23andMe a California Startup has plans to introduce you to your genetic makeup. The worlds first personal genome service, 23andMe promises to "Unlock the secrets of your DNA"

The company provides customers with a Gene Journal, Ancestry information, Family inheritance and access to the raw data on your Genes for whatever you like. Compare to family and friends or see if you really did "inherit your mothers sense of taste."

For $999.00 23andMe will make you spit in a test-tube and mail it back to them. They then provide all the data on your genetic make up, online.

Warren Buffet (the investor) and Jimmy Buffet (the Musician) used the system to see if they were related. They're not. You can read that story here.

This is one of those Remarkable Ideas that seems to spread very easily. Just more proof that the best way to spread and idea is to be remarkable.

The Great Naming Debate: How to choose a business name.

Rick Spence, of Canadian Entrepenuer, wrote a post today on choosing a company name. His suggestion was to favor names that describe what the company does, and stay away from "[a] mash of two unrelated words". He goes on to write, "The name ... makes sense – but really, only once you know what the company does. "

His post reminded me of one of Seth Godin's post's on the same topic. Seth writes,

"Starbucks is made of two words that have nothing at all to do with coffee (except for their profits!) and the reference to Moby Dick is tenuous for most of us. But over time, the shape of the letters, the way they sound and the unique quality of the word makes it close to perfect.

He goes on to discuss some of the considerations he went through in choosing a name for squidoo.com, such as finding a name with almost no Google matches, one where the company can build a strong "secondary meaning" to the words used. It is probably one of the best articles on naming a company that I have read. Read it here.

Rick Spence does make a great point at the end of the article, "just maybe, resource-short startups have different branding needs than do established companies."

Correct, they need to be remarkable.

Monkeys, Ladders, Bananas and Corporate Policy

"Because. It's the way we've always done it"

Everyone can relate. Companies large and small are doing things because they've always done them that way. The sad thing is that the vast majority are so paralyzed by fear of change, that they don't look at options. This story, Think Outside the Box is the best explanation of how creativity and innovation are limited. It just so happens to involve bananas and monkeys, two of my favorite things...

Thanks to Get Entrepreneurial for bringing this to my attention

Our Cell Phones, Ourselves, a TED.com Video

In this video, Nokia researcher Jan Chipchase discusses his investigation into the ways we interact with technology. He has spent the past 5 years researching the ways that the developing world is using and adapting cell phones.

The most intriguing story he tells, showcases the amazing way that cellphones are creating a "Street Level" ATM network in rural Africa. This ad-hoc network allows illiterate wages earners, living and working away from home, to send small amounts of money back to their family.

With 3.2 Billion people currently owning cell phones and another billion expected to be connected in as little as 2 years, how will the way technology is adapted by these people effect our future? Chipchase points to the four main ideas in his speech:

1)The immediacy of ideas. With the ability to "transcend time", ideas can be communicated, discussed and put into action with blistering speed.

2)Immediacy of objects. As devices change form and become more useful, the speed of adoption will increase and the distribution of ideas, services or personal identification will gain speed.

3)Street Level Innovation. The incredible ability of local street level innovations are something cannot be predicted, yet the innovations made will have an impact both locally and in the way future products are designed.

4)Direction of the Conversations. There will be more people, more connected than ever before, we'd better become great listeners.

Enjoy!

Ooops, problem loading the video, check the video out here.

We Do it For the Letters

There is no doubt that technology is changing the ways that students learn and how schools teach. However, the two are happening at very different speeds. The University of Kansas Digital Ethnography Group has just released a video that showcases the reality of students today, and it has taken the blogosphere by storm.

Information is not scarce, it has no set form, no restrictions to its movement and no end to creative possibilities it represents. Yet, we as students are being taught in a classroom with walls, on a schedule with deadlines, from a text book (that most of us never read) with right and wrong answers. If information is abundant, free and moves with ease why are we being taught in a system with so many limitations?

The reality is that most of us students go to school for the degree, the letters that will forever follow our names, the letters that will get us jobs and open doors. We go to school more for the degree than for the actual knowledge. Information, the basis of knowledge is free and can be accessed on our own time line, in a way that interests and benefits the individual. It seems that it's the letters that cost money, not knowledge.





Part one of the series is also very cool.

Play video games for cash, why didn't i think of that

We have just witnessed the birth of a new industry, online video games that pit multiple players against each other for real money. Like the poker industry in recent years, video game tournaments are set to explode.

Skillground.com, a website that launched today, offers users the ability to challenge other players for cash. This is the first of three companies eyeing what could be a multi-million dollar market. Sixty minutes likened the growing esports or "cyber athlete" market to the extreme sports phenomenon in the 90's. Though Skillground is buggy and seems to lack sane security features, the premise is a new and interesting chapter in the internet economy.

Keep an eye on these companies in the near future. Free from the laws of gambling, this market is worth many millions.

www.bloodtoll.com launching December 2006