What Did I Miss About The New iPhone?

Am I the only one who is disappointed in the 3G iPhone? Yes, the network is faster. Yes, the headphone jack is now flush and can accommodate more than just iPhone sanctioned ear pieces. My GPS worked fine before…what did I miss? Rumors are always rumors, but here are the software/hardware updates I heard people talking about that didn’t make the cut:

iChat application
Video chat capabilities
A solution to the MMS nightmare that is ViewMyMessage.com
The ability to view Flash web pages
A flash for the camera

Look, I love my iPhone and I will probably buy the new model at some point. But I am a bit disappointed in the hype and lack of delivery in my opinion.

Side story, I dropped my iPhone in a jacuzzi this past weekend and it is now functioning at probably 98% of its full capacity. Pretty good for almost a full second of submersion in very very hot water.

I’m hoping someone is going to come slap me across the face and show me all the cool features I’ve totally missed. Otherwise me and my current water logged iPhone are going to be friends for awhile longer.

Avoding A Hostile Takeover For Dummies

With both the Microhoo continuing drama, as well as the possible EA Sports- Take Two Interactive takeover/merger, I figured I’d take a few minutes out of my day to both re-explain to myself, and inform others of the modern day deal breakers for massive mergers. At this point, with communications companies constantly evolving their scope of business and acquiring anything and everything in sight, I figured we could all use a good refresher in the tactics used to avoid your old fashioned hostile takeover.

Investopedia, a Forbes company, has a fantastic business dictionary that allows for burgeoning gents like myself to get to the bottom of the active mergers and acquisitions market.

Poison Pill
Suicide Pill
Jonestown Defense
People Pill
Scorched Earth Policy
Put Your Tail Between Your Legs And Run Pill

Hot Sneaker Picks of The Day

The endless search for the right sneaker takes you far and wide, so hopefully I can provide some direction to the lost and directionless...

Paul Rodriguez Zoom Air Elite

Vans Authentic LX Blue White Monkeys Adidas Superstar 1 Expression Goofy

Mobile Market Moving Forward

Raise your hand if you’ve heard someone say “this is the year for mobile advertising” recently. Now raise your hand if you heard someone say that last year. Now raise your hand if you expect to hear it next year.

In my short professional career, I’ve heard it every year, and I having always worked close to the mobile space. Two announcements today in my opinion have made it more possible that we are closer than we think to mobile advertising platforms becoming more and more readily available, understandable, and accessible to the modern media planner.

Nielsen has extended their recognized @Plan product with an extension called Mobile@Plan, an attempt to allow marketers to more accurately target their audience on the mobile platform. Read Mark Walsh’s article here.

Not to be outdone, comScore has announced their acquisition of M:Metrics. Already established in mobile measurement, M:Metrics is known for monitoring clickable display advertising across a variety of mobile web destinations. Learn more here.

Apparently Anyone Under 30 Is A Moron

Anyone who attended “Trading Places!” at iMedia this past week may have picked up the sentiment that the “younger generation” of media folk are lazy and only interested in earning there next free lunch. Being a sub- 30 year old marketing professional, I highly resent the fact that myself and my colleagues are to be written off based on our age and not our talents.

I am not going to sit here and dispute the fact there are groups of media buyers who will pompously move from free lunch to happy hour without even a concern as to the sales reps presentation or their time they are committing. But is writing off a generation of professionals really a positive thing for OUR business? Yes I said OUR business; me and my team are a part of it too. Someone prove to us that we don’t belong….

iMedia Agency Summit Gets A B+

A disclaimer to preface this entry: I only attended one panel, one presentation, and spent the rest of the time in Austin, TX schmoozing and hustling.

Having said that, I still feel confident that I can give the summit an overall positive grade; a B+. Not an official attendee, I was there supporting clients, both of whom rocked. popsauce network sponsored the opening shuttles and absolutely killed. The power of offering cold beer to people who’ve been flying for four hours. Next client presentation was Sportgenic, who grabbed everyone’s attention with a hilarious rendition of “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader,” aptly titled “Are You Smarter Than A Media Intern.” Goes without saying we threw our brand new intern on stage and broke him in. As usual, passing out free Pearl Izumis to the agency folks got us on everyone’s good side, and most people admitted that it was the best presentation of the week.

In my opinion, and most will agree, the most amazing evening of the week was the presence of Annie Griffiths Belt, renowned National Geographic photographer. She blew the crowd away with her tales of travelling the world and dazzled the group with absolutely stunning photos. The display focused on her book “A Camera, Two Kids, and a Camel.” The agency attendees standing ovation was said to be the first in iMedia history, and all who were there will most likely never forget it.

There are a few negatives from the trip worth mentioning. One, the sense of entitlement from the agency people that bordered on rudeness really stuck with me as I passed out free shoes courtesy of Sportgenic. Only a small percentage made an effort to thank myself or the sponsor for the generous gift, and the undeserving sense of privilege really rang true from the agency side of the business. Two, me and my team being called “minions” and “durhamites.” Really nothing against the industry here, but if you are going to fault everyone who is under 30, than you are a complete hypocrite, because there isn’t a single person in the marketing world that started at a senior level in their mid thirties. Everyone has to work their way up. And without being cocky or rude, I’d gladly take my team of sub- thirties strategists against competing thought leaders any day of the week.