Generation X was … asked how to operate the remote/TV/Apple IIc/whatever

I had lunch.  Not exactly Earth shattering, I know.  I had lunch and got in a conversation with the waiter who was 26, married, with dog, family in town for the holidays.  Difficulty dealing with Dad visiting wanting to be "a friend" but also a father.

The conversation progressed into generational differences.  Generation X and generation Y are the first generation where knowledge went backwards.  This is not my concept, it comes from the book Generations.  The concept is that kids growing up in the 50s got information from their parents.  Knowledge went from older to younger.  Trends might differ, but the overall knowledge was held by the elders and passed to the youngers.  With X, again from the book, for the FIRST time knowledge went backwards between generations.

Generation X was called from their rooms, into the living room, asked how to operate the remote/TV/Apple IIc/whatever.  We answered the questions. We were dismissed.  "Thanks" and "Please go away now."  This of course creates a transactional attitude on the part of the younger.  "You call me in to answer questions, so what is in it for me?" or "I answered your question, so can I borrow the car?".  You have to admit this is reasonable.  But I am an Xer so you might not agree, but I assure you, it IS reasonable.

Yet, reasonable or not, a Gen X, who has been conditioned, meets a brand that is all about themselves and you have a train wreck (DISCLOSURE: I hate Capital One).  The brand is talking to them like a "Boomer", talking down, and that doesn’t play.  At all.  Not transactional never mind conversational.

Too much of a topic for a single post, but Boomers, Xers, Millenials must all be communicated with on THEIR terms.  Step 1 is to acknowledge the difference.

ICANN considering single letter domain names

ICANN is considering single letter domain names.  No mention on the ICANN site yet of course.

I was doing research on this tonight to prepare for an interview.  Clearly ICANN is a topic that relates to branding, search engines and technology so I try to keep abreast of the latest.  But I found that research from Google, despite its all powerful status, was not as good for the LATEST information as Technorati.

In Google’s defense, the topic I was looking for was three (3) hours old.  Three hours.  Freshbot can’t keep up.  Technorati did get me to the correct URL for the latest information, or gossip even, on single letter domain names.  That was a cool success.  Google 0, Technorati 1.

Google has begun testing a new click-to-call service

From the Entireweb Newsletter and everyone else, Google is testing click-to-call with their adwords advertising.  This makes sense as a logical next step.  But the local telcos can’t be excited about google offering free telephone connections in lieu of 1-800 toll-to-the-advertiser calls.

Google has begun testing a new click-to-call service that lets people speak with advertisers on its search results page without having to pick up the phone and dial.

A Web surfer can click a phone icon adjacent to an ad, enter his or her own phone number and then click a "connect for free" button. Google’s service calls the advertiser’s phone number and when the Web surfer picks up the receiver on his phone, he or she hears ringing as the call to the advertiser is connected, according to a Google Click-to-Call frequently-asked-questions page..

and the competition?

In August, Microsoft said it had purchased Teleo, an Internet calling company with the potential to allow MSN to offer click-to-call capabilities.

From a public relations perspective, can we run google advertisements that generate phone calls to OTHER people?  How do you feel about x-y-z issue?  Call your congressman today. or similar?  Perhaps the prank phone call from the days of our youth is back?  Of course there is an entire generation that never had the joy of calling bowling alleys with questions about 10 pound balls …. nevermind.

On a more exciting note, search engine journal is reporting that Google or Yahoo may be Manchester United’s New Sponsor!  Now that would be cool and would certainly help introduce "football" to the US even more than it already is.  Google Video is apparently already a pretty big fan of Manchester.

Kodak – “keep me, protect me, share me, and I will live forever.”

Brilliant advertising by Kodak.  Great Creative.  Crappy Search Engine Optimization.  That’s why you are reading this post.  One more reason you should not confuse the work with the work product.

Let’s start with the awesome Kodak advertising creative.  Stay with me, I’ll explain why it is awesome… So I just saw a Kodak commercial that was brand-worthy, and what I recall from one viewing (no tivo yet, sorry) is:

the pictures are saying "keep me, protect me, share me, and I will live forever."

Kodak

Brilliant brand strategy.  That is worth repeating "keep me, protect me, share me, and I will live forever".  That is the brilliant branding part.  They are NOT talking about how Kodak is different – we wouldn’t buy it anyway.  Kodak was in denial for how long?  Now they are over it, and thank heaven they are promoting the category as opposed to a particular product.  That is branding.  I am hooked.  I want someone to think about pictures of my family in that context.  "keep me – protect me – share me – and I will live forever" – just awesome stuff.

To harp on the divergence concept (I always do that with the current book I am reading, sorry) they are focused on accepting the new branch of the tree and growing.  Now, if the ad agency (who is it?  will we know before next year’s Addys?) would please PLEASE post the text of the advertisement on the Kodak.com web site so your google search query would go there instead of here….. 

To my comment about not confusing your work with your work product, what I am referring to is the desire of creatives to write ABOUT their ads in the same tone as the advertisement itself.  This is stupid.  To describe great advertising creative with the same funny text AS the creative, which always excludes the keywords, is stupid.  The kodak advertisement I am describing never mentions digital camera.  Great creative.  Crappy Search Engine Optimization.  That is a problem if you are trying to sell cameras online.  Yes keep the creative, but also post it to your site with a realistic description in freakin’ English that lists the product and brand names.

Free tip – run this keyword density analyzer on your advertising copy.  It will help.

Dude, is it just me or did typepad delete your trackbacks too?

Dude, is it just me or did typepad delete your trackbacks too? Arrrgh.