links for 2007-07-03

• Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive Powncing on the Twitter bird… or not «
  Overview of Pownce, which I have signed up for.
  (tags: pownce IM SocialNetworking Blogs)
• The Ebb and Flow of Social Networking
  (tags: SocialNetworking cycles culture)
• Calling In Pros to Refine Your Google Image - washingtonpost.com
  Google's ubiquity as a research tool has given rise to a new industry: online identity management.
  (tags: reputation Google Search PR)
• Project Red Stripe » Blog Archive » And the idea is…
  The Economist is developing a web service that harnesses the collective intelligence of readers to contribute to international and local development organizations.
  (tags: crowdsourcing Collaboration Economist Innovation Journalism)
• New Media Meets Old: A Look at Redesigned Mainstream News Sites
  A look at AOL News, CNN.com and USAToday.com
  (tags: Journalism Web2.0 usatoday CNN AOL)
• 8 questions to… Josh Bernoff, Forrester « Technobabble 2.0
  (tags: Forrester Marketing)
• Apple - Batteries - iPhone
  Good set of tips for maximizing battery life.
  (tags: iphone Tips)
• Where The Hell Is Matt?
  If you haven't seen these, they are great.
  (tags: culture Video Fun)

Comments

[Colin Donald]

Worth pointing out that the excellent Where the Hell is Matt? video was actually sponsored, by Stride gum. We frequently use Matt as an example when explaining that supporting existing talent is a good way for brands to reach YouTubers.

For instance, JWT chief exec Bob Jeffrey recently claimed in an interview with the UK's MediaGuardian that their "MacKenzie gets what MacKenzie wants" campaign for Domino's Pizza on YT was a terrific success. (It's the fictional viral where the girl is upset when her birthday auto is the wrong colour.)

In fact, the most-viewed MacKenzie video on YouTube attracted almost 500,000 views in six months.

Yet Matt gained seven million views in 12 months for himself and Stride -- a brand owned by JWT client Cadbury Schweppes and which dealt with Matt directly, no agency being involved.

Even more tellingly, the MacKenzie video has been favourited by YouTubers only 850 times, compared with more than 51,000 times for Matt. And YouTubers who aren't in on the pizza joke genuinely loathe the MacKenzie character (typical comment: Spoiled b****), whereas everyone loves Matt.

Do check out Matt's FAQ for how Stride worked with him:

http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/faq.shtml