Looking for yet another explanation of the dot com bust? Metcalfe’s law is wrong, researchers Andrew Odlyzko and Benjamin Tilly claim. As I wrote last year, Metcalfe’s Law holds that a network’s value is the square of the size of a network.* If two people are connected by instant messenger, fax machines, or cell phones, […]
A reader recently asked blogger Darren Barefoot about the folly of letting a company’s IT team manage a website, instead of the marketing team. Whether left to IT or marketing, a website can be tricky business — both departments are equally capable of disaster. The important thing is to have a clear business case and […]
Via Jan Karslbjerg, some shortcuts for Microsoft Outlook. PC Magazine also has general shortcuts for the entire Microsoft Office suite. I was delighted to learn that, in Word, Shift-F3 changes the case of letters. And how have I gone so long without knowing that the Windows key will bring up the “Start” menu? (c) 2005 […]
Ask Jeeves has purchased Bloglines, the leading free service for searching, subscribing, publishing and sharing RSS feeds and blogs. In recent months, Google, Yahoo and MSN have added blogs to their portals. However, through Bloglines, Ask Jeeves will tap a popular, powerful blog tool. This may help the company to shed its fifth-place ranking in […]
Many companies put up websites, then forget about them. Let the website for Conservative Party leader candidate Tony Clement serve as a warning. The mysterious “Dark Network Hack Team” has hacked the site. Clement may not be as high profile as Stephen Harper, but that’s no reason for his team to ignore his website. The […]
As February approaches, prepare for the onslaught of T4s, T5s, and tax software ads. You don’t need to submit your taxes until April 30th, but makers of tax software will be out in full force. A quick glance at the market reveals that switching costs shape the field. Quicktax recently sent me some direct mail, […]
Forbes has proclaimed ambush marketing a hot trend for 2005. That’s no surprise — companies have resorted to slick tactics for years. A few months ago, I mentioned that Vancouver’s Olympic Committee was working on plans to counter ambush marketing during the Games. However, the Forbes article portrays ambush marketing as unexpected marketing, as opposed […]
Jerry Garcia’s estate is suing an Atlanta burrito chain, claiming Moe’s Southwest Grill never acquired licensing rights for the use of the late Grateful Dead singer’s image. To Dead Heads, the move might seem ironic, given the Grateful Dead’s past stance on intellectual property — the band welcomed bootleg taping of concerts and turned a […]
Molson Canada has redeemed itself. Last summer, I entered a contest and was informed, by email, that I had won — on the condition that I answer a skill-testing question. I immediately responded. Two months passed. I emailed several Molson email addresses, including the head of the ad agency responsible for the campaign. Two more […]
Dijon ketchup. Back in the early 90s, the Barenaked Ladies released a song called “If I Had a Million Dollars”. My brother introduced me to the indie release. At the time, it caught our attention because of a line about how, if the singer had a million dollars, “I’d buy you a K-Car” — the […]