The Snuggie Social Movement

Novel Use: Holding a book while simultaneously being under, in and through the product

In the past, social networking involved participation in a myriad of social networking platforms such as MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and Linked In (among others). Enter - the Snuggie. The hybrid love child of a blanket and a sweater billed as the “blanket with arms” has exploded on the scene and inspired a social networking movement that you don’t need a computer or an Internet connection to take advantage of.

Six sheets to the wind: Cincinnati Snuggie Shufflers

Snuggie Pub Crawls (SPC), or Snuggie Shuffles as some are calling them, have started to pop up all over the U.S. and some experts are saying this is just the beginning of the Snuggie social movement. How does one participate in this new form of social networking, you ask? According to popular Snuggie sites, it’s as easy as following a few simple steps:

1. Buy a Snuggie (As seen on TV!)
2. Put on that Snuggie
3. Aggregate a number of other Snuggie wearers (The minimum number of participants is generally set at three. Three Snuggie wearers will have people laughing with them. Two Snuggie wearers will elicit laughter directed at them.)
4. Choose a series of bars/pubs to travel to/from while imbibing in plush comfort.

As with many popular movements, a handful of disturbing splinter movements have developed that threaten tarnish the core Snuggie Shuffle movement.

Peekaru - AKA The Baby Snuggie

Stroller Replacement. Baby Sack. Marsupial Transport System. Call it what you will - the creators of the Snuggie inspired Peekaru are calling it the “next big thing in moving a baby from point A to point B” without allowing them any freedom of movement, while freeing your hands for such activities as power walking or buying gluten-free pizza from Whole Foods. The social networking application here is obvious. This is essentially a humanoid version of a Chihuahua in a purse – sure to elicit reactions ranging from smiles and friendly conversation, to shock followed by a call to 911, depending on the environment.

Bottom line: for only $80 you can look like a stage three Alien incubator. Does not come with instructions on what to tell Child Protective Services when they show up with paperwork at your door.

This product gets two Rasputin thumbs down.

The Ludens Spoon Blanket

You like to spoon all night long and believe that your parter should too and if he/she (but mostly he) doesn't, he/she doesn't love you. This is the product for you!

The problem I have with this is that it takes all choice out of the spooning equation. When there is an expectation of spooning, it becomes a chore rather than a joyful proposition. Its design also removes all possibility of a modified spoon, which runs counter to the Snuggie movement's ethos of more choice rather than less.

Bottom line: This is a straight jacket for two.

So we have seen an example of how the Snuggie concept can be used to facilitate social networking in new and exciting ways, and we have seen two examples of how the movement threatens to morph into something that imprisons men and babies. Discuss...

How Shaq Taught Me to Tweet

Last night I got into a discussion with one of my coworkers on the redeeming qualities of Twitter. She was voicing the now common screed against the social broadcasting platform that sees no value in following an endless, banal stream of updates from anyone narcissistic enough to think anyone cares about the fact that at 5:01pm they are listening to the latest Nora Jones album while building a log cabin out of matchsticks. This got me to thinking... The problem with Twitter is the same as with any social networking platform. It is only as good as the content provided by the users. If users are dumping an endless supply of boring updates that never get past verbs followed by prepositional phrases, it seems as though a fan of this limited character entry format would be better entertained reading the FBI stakeout log of Anthony Pelicano. 3:45pm - Ate a sandwich 4:30pm - illegal wiretapping in his robe 6:00pm - went to the bathroom 7:00pm - blackmailed Chris Rock while still in the bathroom... you get the idea. Before you get the impression that I am a Twitter detractor, I should share with you a shining example of what Twitter can be in the hands of one who "gets it."

Random Acts of Shaqness

In my professional opinion, Shaquille O'Neal has the best Twitter stream out there. I will now attempt to categorize all known forms of tweet that Shaq has seen fit to grace his subscribing public with, accompanied by a concrete example, followed by my two cents on what we can learn from the master:

Guess that Song:

Weee weee wha weee weee wha weee wee weeee what's song is this3:31 PM Mar 5th from TwitterBerry

Share geographic fun facts:

I'm goin to the alamo tomorro to get one of those daniel boone squirrel tail hats, I'm n san antonio, in case u didn't kno were the alamo is11:10 PM Mar 6th from TwitterBerry


Tell a Joke:

A Rastaman walks n2 a bank & hands the teller a bag of weed. She says "Sir, what is this 4?" Da Rasta said, "Mi wan open a joint account!5:27 PM Mar 11th from TwitterBerry


The "send me something and get a prize" challenge:

The first one to send me the carl lewis national anthem gets a prize2:17 AM Mar 24th from TwitterBerry


Informational update on a major life project:

got a couple of movies dis summer no more rappin last time I rapped I ened up on youtube lol1:49 AM Mar 19th from TwitterBerry


Recent major tragedy:

dam I just lost my atm card lol6:53 PM Mar 17th from TwitterBerry

on my way, can u believe this I just caught a flat, aaagh man2:08 PM Mar 16th from TwitterBerry


The "touch me and get a prize" challenge:

Anybody in portland touches me rt now will get two tickets I'm at redstar cafe4:23 PM Mar 26th from TwitterBerry

100 people n the prtland area just came for tickets wow portland twitterers r niiiiiice4:53 PM Mar 26th from TwitterBerry


Post an impromptu picture:












Comment on your feelings toward the aesthetics of those in your immediate environment:

I c two twin sisters. Ug and lee Lol12:50 AM Apr 6th from TwitterBerry


Share inspirational thoughts:

You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want8:10 PM Apr 9th from TwitterBerry


Compose cryptic messages while maintaining a rhyme pattern:

chillin like a villian able and willing to make a spillin dash killn1:15 AM Mar 15th from TwitterBerry


Hopefully, those of you out there disparaging Twitter have had a paradigm shift after being exposed to the potential of this platform through the musings of Shaq, and for those of you actively tweeting out there - I hope you have been inspired to share something truly entertaining, and dare I say - inspiring. (in 140 characters or less)

Monetizing = de-momitizing

I recently came across an article by Clive Thompson that illustrates the challenge facing companies attempting monetize a previously unmonetized site while still retaining membership. Urbanbaby.com was a popular site for moms to get together and discuss all things baby related. There was active forum participation with the average post receiving 4 -5 responses within the space of a few minutes. Then something happened that would rock the very foundation of the site. It was sold to the Internet juggernaut CNET who promptly added banner ads and changed the layout of the forums. This resulted in all out rebellion by the users of the site who petitioned CNET t0 restore their site to its previous functionality. Within a week, an enterprising couple who were forum participants decided to go and replicate the look and feel of the original site and incorporate a blog to encourage feedback from the community on the features that were important to them. Que mass exodus. Today (according to Clive Thompson's estimates), Youbemom has three times the traffic of Urbanbaby.
With it becoming increasingly simple (and inexpensive) to develop social web applications, the difference between success and failure comes down to listening to what people want (or will tolerate). This is not to say that CNET erred in attempting to monetize Urbanbaby.com, but they monetized it without getting feedback from the community. Had CNET asked, they might have found out that banner ads along the bottom of the screen would have been acceptable to the community since that wouldn't have impacted the size of the reading plane. Had they taken the time to put their finger on the pulse of the community they also might have discovered that the majority of the community liked the layout of the forums and didn't want a redesign. So, thousands of dollars spent on development costs and all CNET was successful at doing was driving away a majority of their membership. Takeaway: Thinking about monetizing? Better ask mom first!

4,089 Pirated I-Phone Apps Courtesy of Wired

There is a thin line between reporting illegal behavior and becoming a party to it. I think Wired just crossed it. In a recent article on their website, "Pirates Board Apple's iPhone App Store," Brian Chen talks about the growing phenomena of hackers cracking I-Phone apps and offering them free to the public. Brian then goes on to list the locations, file names and even links to sites offering 4,089 cracked apps. That's like a reporter exposing the horrors of elder abuse while dropping banana peels around a Holland America cruise line buffet table!

In the spirit of Wired, here is a summary of the article by Brian Chen without having to wade through his tired narrative:

Free I-Phone Apps that you shouldn't download! By Brian Chen

3,200 Apps: http://appulo.us/appdb/

808 Apps: thepiratebay

81 Apps: http://themonkeysball.com/

This serves the I-Phone App industry right for all the years they forced consumers to purchase 10 crappy apps to get the one app they really wanted... oh wait. Never mind.

New Rules to Live By

Just finished reading the book "The New Rules of Marketing and PR" by David Meerman Scott and all I can say is... well, just continue reading to find out what I am going to say, keeping in mind that 10 years ago, I would have not been able to say it in a forum that had the potential of reaching so many people. [Note I say "potential" seeing as I have only two followers, one of which I agreed to cease seeing in a social context last weekend and am no longer speaking to- but I digress] According to D.M. Scott, there is a new way to market your (pick one: company, product, idea, service, rock band) that does not involve traditional media, is less expensive than traditional media, and is available to anyone with a computer, and an Internet connection. The myriad of online tools and their use for marketing & PR constitute the "New Rules," as it were. This book was an easy read - made to be understandable for the tech savvy and neophyte alike.

While Groundswell (see my last post) was written with the CEO in mind, I felt that New Rules was written more for the everyday person that has, historically, been without the resources to utilize traditional media for marketing and PR. Having said that, there is a wealth of information here for anyone that wants to tap into this new way of interacting with customers.

Marketing, Scott points out, used to be about creating a 30 second commercial for 80K, spending hundreds of thousands (or millions) to beam the commercial to a general audience, (that may or may not be interested in the product) and then hoping they actually watch it instead of getting up and going to the bathroom. This "interruption" idea of marketing is not cost effective, efficient, or a value added proposition when it comes to the customer's experience. Along those same lines, PR used to be about a publicist's relationship with various media outlets. With the advent of the Internet and the democratization of information dissemination via blogs, RSS feeds, and the other avenues discussed in the book, companies can forgo the intermediary and send out "press releases" directly to the public, eliminating the need to go through a PR firm or a traditional newspaper. This has the net effect of rendering marketing and PR two sides of the same coin in that they are both simply your relationship with the public - ideally, a two way dialogue of information dissemination and feedback.

Over the course of the book, Scott does go into great depth about all the possible avenues one might take to take advantage of the new rules. Overall, a thorough road map of very effective strategies for anyone communicating with the public.

One Rasputin thumb way up on this one.

Groundswell and The Karate Kid - A Comparative Study

Most people wait to finish reading a book before writing a book review, so after having only read the first two chapters of Groundswell, I have decided to deviate from common practice and prematurely share my thoughts with you.

Charlene Lee and Josh Bernoff's collaborative work is best described as a primer for managers and CEOs who would like to know just what this You-Tube thing is. Beginning with the definition of a "social network" and the phenomenon of the "groundswell" specifically, Lee-noff lays out the basics of the phenomenon in terms that even the stodgiest, technophobic, "the old way is better" corporate type can understand. The text is noticeably free from techie-centric geek-speak. The gist here is - social networking technology is allowing the masses to participate in a public dialogue about your brand or product, and you can either be a part of it, or a victim of it - the choice is yours. Of course, they would advocate the former.

Along these same lines, they compare active participation in the "groundswell" to a jujitsu master taking advantage of his opponent's strengths by turning them against him. Anyone who has seen The Karate Kid knows the wisdom in this type of approach.

The Cobra Kai as a Backward Thinking Corporation

One of the cornerstones of participation in the groundswell lies in one's ability to receive feedback on a product or brand and then in turn, make necessary changes based on public feedback. Companies who are closed and unresponsive will ultimately fail. After Daniel is initially assaulted by the Cobra Kai, he and Mr. Miyagi venture into the Kai's dojo in an attempt to give feedback on their behavior and attempt a reconciliation. Their attempt to communicate is met with hostility by the Kai and ultimately rejected. The Cobra Kai's dojo is a closed institution with its own ethos and zero sum game mentality. External feedback, communication, and collaboration are not valued, while interaction is only agreed to when it on the Kai's own terms.

Cobra Kai Sensei John Kreese is clearly displaying outmoded thinking when he instructs Johnny Lawrence to sweep the leg of Daniel toward the end of the tournament- exploiting a weakness of Daniel who was suffering from a preexisting injury. In the final match, Daniel exploits a strength of the Cobra Kai by employing the Crane Kick against Johnny Lawrence, knowing that Johnny would attach him from the front in a display of hubris and, ultimately, misplaced confidence.

Ultimately, Daniel LaRusso (representing the groundswell) defeats the Cobra Kai and goes on (in subsequent episodes) to defeat global protagonists stuck in this same mindset. So will the groundswell, in the coming years, go on to swallow up any corporation still stuck in the old way of thinking and interacting with its potential customer base.

"Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything" - Mr. Myiagi

Been a long time since I posted...

I have decided the time has arrived for a video entry on Rasputin’s Attic which will manifest itself in the form of a response to this YouTube video on Social Networking… and a few other videos that I felt had a very high production value. While I am on the subject of production value, I left my 35mm in the closet for this one and simply carried my laptop and web cam into the bathroom and knocked this out. I was pleased with the first take and didn't want to risk gum damage by over brushing on additional takes. Enjoy.