Just click on each of the Kylie thumbnails to hear a different track in full. I think this kind of move and her new social network which has just launched proves that she moves with the times and always gives her fans what they want. Go on Kylie!
It’s the first day of the inaugaral SMX conference in London today. Following hot on the heels of the mammoth success that has been SES over the years, Danny and Chris have moved onto a new set of ‘learn everything about search’ events.
It had a lot to live up to from the SES shadow, however i was out in New York last month for the first SMX Social event which was the most informative i’ve ever attended (i must put up my thoughts on that one!). There is also a great line up of speakers at SMX London, of which i am one (it must be good then right?) along with Latitudes ever-present Richard Gregory.
I will be tackling trademark issues and brand protection, with a twist, in Friday mornings first session of the day at 9am under the Advanced Search Ads Track. Stop by and say hi, if you’re around at the conference!
It’s been a crazy week with this being the first post!! promise i’ll be back to full form next week but i couldn’t leave for the weekend without some Friday Rock…. So flick back your mullet and get ready to party like a rockstar!
i blogged about staying at the Hard Rock hotel in Vegas a few weeks back, and this became a bit of an anthem being played a lot while i was there. I think it sums up Vegas and what happens at the Hard Rock perfectly….
Ok, if you don’t know Justine Ezarik you probably have a real offline life and don’t spend that much time on social networks. However, since it’s my job (lame excuse i know) there isn’t a day goes by without me seeing her.
At 23, Justine has become an online celebrity just by completely embracing every social network or application there is. She jokingly describes herself as ‘i am the internet’ but the amount of content this girl produces is phenomenal. For a start she’s covered the obvious bases (yep she’s one of my facebook friends) with myspace (48804 billion friends - really?), flickr, a blog etc. But shes also on every new thing to take off.
If you really want to know how you should be using any social network or application Justine is your girl. Hell you can even watch her live on cam all day long! I really cannot believe how much time it must take her to update all her profiles or to even manage all her friends. However, the only thing i’m left wondering is, would she be so successful using these things if she wasn’t so hot?
Ok so it’s had mixed reviews, some negativity about it not having an email client, is only 16GB blah blah but this is mostly from those who want the moon on a stick. I’ve had a 3rd Gen iPod for about 4/5 years now and it’s now become retro in a cool sort of way and nothing has ever swayed me to upgrade to a new one until now….
I think it was the completely new interface (ex scrollwheel) that got me interested matched with a large screen so it actually became usable as a video and photo viewer without me looking like Mr Mole to everyone else on the tube. And it feels sooo good - about half the thickness of the iPhone but just as sexy.
However the killer feature for me was the built in wi-fi with Safari browser. I’ve never been a fan of mobile internet, its too slow and WAP sites lets face it are pure shite! But forget 3G and instead use wireless broadband on your mobile device with a large screen and it now all makes sense. Add to this, websites optimised for the iPod touch/iPhone including facebook and Digg and i’m finding i’m now using this to browse the web more than my laptop when i’m at home! This is the future….. i’ve touched it.
I’ve been watching this major disaster unfold with huge areas of San Diego being engulfed by flames. The latest reports say the area destroyed is as big as Greater London - man thats nasty. However, there is one good thing to come out of this, i’m now realising the true possibilities of Google Maps and mashups. The picture here shows a great overlay to Google maps which for once is genuinely useful. The mashup shows evacuation areas, safe houses and latest alerts which are also constantly updated via a Twitter feed.
This is a great service which i think is very helpful to those to be caught in this unfortunate situation. The only thing it left me wondering though, is that if everything is on fire, how would they access the internet?
What a night last Saturday was, i went over to the Mandalay Bay to see a classic rock lineup; Foreigner, Styx and the mighty Leppard! Foreigner warmed things up with some unrecognisable tunes apart from Cold as Ice, but they did give a cracking live performance, Styx were notably similar and i’ve never been a big fan, although the American audience seemed to enjoy them.
Anyway the Leppard rolled out around 9.30 and took the place by storm. After far too many (light!) beers, i payed tribute to the rock royalty by going big in a full rock-style fit to a classic set-list including Rocket, Animal, Hysteria & Love Bites.
They were really awesome live, but saved the best till last and blew the roof off with Pour Some Sugar on Me! Classic. Sounds like a good night you think? That’s only the start of it!
After the concert i headed to the bar in the Mandalay Bay and after busting some moves on the floor, my new found friends from Nebraska got very excited and pointed me in the direction of the bar, great my round again!
So, as i’m wondering round the bar who do i bump into having a beer? Yep, it’s only bloody Joe Elliot! So i gave it some general ramblings about Sheffield and the great nation of Yorkshire and the H is drinking beers with a Rock legend! After that its pretty blurry, but it was a pretty late night so much so that i felt awful for the Rehab pool party, although don’t despair, i still made it….
So that’ll be my money then?! The trip started with a nightmare when i left my driving licence at home only to realise when i got to the rental desk in LAX, the shiny Mustang outside was not coming home to play…. Anyway i still had a few great days in Santa Monica relaxing on the beach and partying at Ye Olde Kings Head ( a mock British pub that seems to be a hit with the locals).
Heading east to Vegas it was time to party like a rock star while staying at the Hard Rock hotel to which i did, landing on Tuesday and not going to bed until 48 hours later on Thursday evening is always a good start! I was here about a year ago, and already theres 8 new hotels and another 4 being built that i can see, it seems the best job here is to be in construction…
So, highlights so far? Too many to mention (besides i gotta go out again its Friday night!) but i saw the legend that is Tom Jones last night at the MGM Grand and he was awesome! He belted out all the classics from only 10 yards from my seat and finished it off with a brutal cover of ‘I like the way you move’ from the BodyRockers! Sounds awful i know but the welsh wizard pulled it off with plenty of hip-thrusting thrown in for good measure….
Next stop on the tour of Legends Def Leppard at the the Mandalay Bay tomorrow night. Let’s Rock.
I would have loved to have been in the agency meeting when this idea was floated! Right, new ad campaign, i know - lets have a drumming Gorilla! Brilliant here’s £6 million!
Unbelievable! Has creative execution really stooped this low to have no brand relationship whatsoever? Oh hang on, just throw in a purple backdrop and that’ll do it!
And the agency “sell” line is shocking “stress the link between the ad and the “moment of joy” you feel when eating Dairy Milk. Come on guys stop fleecing clients and come up with some real creative with meaning again….
Seems to be a growing trend with artists giving away free music, i’ve just stumbled across MSN offering a free listen to every track in full from Kylie’s new album X. I’m sure this promotion won’t last long so check out the page here.
Ok, if you don’t know 
Ok so it’s had mixed reviews, some negativity about it not having an email client, is only 16GB blah blah but this is mostly from those who want the moon on a stick. I’ve had a 3rd Gen iPod for about 4/5 years now and it’s now become retro in a cool sort of way and nothing has ever swayed me to upgrade to a new one until now….
I’ve been watching this major disaster unfold with huge areas of San Diego being engulfed by flames. The latest reports say the area destroyed is as big as Greater London - man thats nasty. However, there is one good thing to come out of this, i’m now realising the true possibilities of Google Maps and mashups. The 
What a night last Saturday was, i went over to the Mandalay Bay to see a classic rock lineup; Foreigner, Styx and the mighty Leppard! Foreigner warmed things up with some unrecognisable tunes apart from Cold as Ice, but they did give a cracking live performance, Styx were notably similar and i’ve never been a big fan, although the American audience seemed to enjoy them.
So that’ll be my money then?! The trip started with a nightmare when i left my driving licence at home only to realise when i got to the rental desk in LAX, the shiny Mustang outside was not coming home to play…. Anyway i still had a few great days in Santa Monica relaxing on the beach and partying at Ye Olde Kings Head ( a mock British pub that seems to be a hit with the locals).
