Mixed Signals
Any sufficiently advanced information is indistinguishable from noise
Monday 5 August 2002, 11:18 AM
Friday
Friday 2/07/2002
So, Sony Ericsson is hiring 'attractive young actors and actresses' to pose as tourists, asking passers-by to take their picture with -- aha! -- the new T68i cellphone/camera. When the innocent bystanders express surprise and delight at the unbeatable gorgeousness of the gadget, then they can be told where to go and get one.
What an idea. It works, too -- being an attractive young hack with a penchant for reviewing new gadgets in public places (Only been mugged once. Companies, your gizmos are safe with me), I'm all too used to handing out similar information. Usually, and this is even better than Sony Ericsson will manage, with a few words of comparative reviewer's advice. I hadn't thought of charging for this, let alone indenting for an attractive young female hack to act as stooge, but you can rest assured that I will not let this marketing opportunity go un-mined.
That's not this week's only remarkable innovation in the world of personal advertising. A gentleman has been offering space via eBay for a tattooed commercial message -- logo or text, he's easy -- on his membrum virile. Alas, once this came to the attention of the eBay masters he was forced to take it down -- although I'm sure he can still be contacted by the determined.
That all conjures up some rather unpleasant images of cross-media marketing. But it could be the solution to the current sad lack of nudists in Munich's famous English Gardens, where a report last week said that gawpers and (curiously) Belgians had driven away the massed exposed bodies of that city's more attractive specimens. All Sony Ericsson has to do is run the actor idea there -- with no clothes on, you bet people will be happy to take pictures -- and then send the pictures via email, there and then, to the happy punters. For there on the naked bods will be tattooed a URL -- and a barcode, why not? -- for further information, when the members of the public get home.
Hey, this consultancy lark's easy. IBM, you know where to find me.
To have your say online click on TalkBack and go to the ZDNet UK forums.
So, Sony Ericsson is hiring 'attractive young actors and actresses' to pose as tourists, asking passers-by to take their picture with -- aha! -- the new T68i cellphone/camera. When the innocent bystanders express surprise and delight at the unbeatable gorgeousness of the gadget, then they can be told where to go and get one.
What an idea. It works, too -- being an attractive young hack with a penchant for reviewing new gadgets in public places (Only been mugged once. Companies, your gizmos are safe with me), I'm all too used to handing out similar information. Usually, and this is even better than Sony Ericsson will manage, with a few words of comparative reviewer's advice. I hadn't thought of charging for this, let alone indenting for an attractive young female hack to act as stooge, but you can rest assured that I will not let this marketing opportunity go un-mined.
That's not this week's only remarkable innovation in the world of personal advertising. A gentleman has been offering space via eBay for a tattooed commercial message -- logo or text, he's easy -- on his membrum virile. Alas, once this came to the attention of the eBay masters he was forced to take it down -- although I'm sure he can still be contacted by the determined.
That all conjures up some rather unpleasant images of cross-media marketing. But it could be the solution to the current sad lack of nudists in Munich's famous English Gardens, where a report last week said that gawpers and (curiously) Belgians had driven away the massed exposed bodies of that city's more attractive specimens. All Sony Ericsson has to do is run the actor idea there -- with no clothes on, you bet people will be happy to take pictures -- and then send the pictures via email, there and then, to the happy punters. For there on the naked bods will be tattooed a URL -- and a barcode, why not? -- for further information, when the members of the public get home.
Hey, this consultancy lark's easy. IBM, you know where to find me.
To have your say online click on TalkBack and go to the ZDNet UK forums.
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