Tip of the hat to Greg Verdino.

Interact Congress 2008 is a conference about Connecting European eMarketing to be held in Berlin across 2-3 June. And being in Germany, it’s hosted by the German IAB and supported by all the national IABs (UK link here) and the European IAB.

And I’m truly honoured to have been invited to collaborate on the Interact Congress blog for 2008. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and ideas with some of Europe’s top bloggers on the blog when I get back from hols in 2 weeks. Please drop me a line either through the comments section below or direct to nr_gill@hotmail.com and let me know any thoughts or subjects you’d like me to raise.

I wonder if my new employers would like to send me out there to hob nob and spread the love?

And download an IAB report on UGC here.

I’ve had 2 emails this week from people who I used to work with asking me to join Naymz - a new kind of professional social network. Always a little skeptical, my first thought when the lovely Joanna’s invite popped up was, uh oh, here’s another Quechup. And then Nik’s email popped up. So having not heard of Naymz, decided to do some investigation. (You’ll also note a Linked In invite which I happily accepted as I know Murray well and am comfortable with the Linked In networking thing).

Back to the search: I actually found the most relevant info and a heart-warming tale on Ben Poole’s blog who had signed up for Naymz and received nothing but spam. Not a great advert you’d think but track down to the comments.

There’s the co-founder of Naymz responding personally to the criticism. Not some flunky but the big man himself. And the conversation continues. And continues and each time he answers the criticism openly and honestly and points to content on the site to help answer. And the question I’m asking, “I’m on Linked In, why do I need another business social network?” is helpfully answered. A great example of listening to the interweb conversations and actively particpating. Certainly put a positive slant on my view of Naymz.

But despite this, I’m also a little worried of social network overload what with Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, IM, my Google Reader (inbox zero achieved again today!), my blog, the research/inspiration emails I sign up to and not forgetting my work email, hotmail and gmail accounts. Do I need another? Will I ever get anything done? Can I be bothered to ask all my friends for the 3rd time to be my friend/part of my plans for world domination (er, sorry, professional network)? Or can I afford not to manage my online reputation and am I already seduced by the desire to want a big shiny “10″ on my page?

I’ll mull it over. Be interested to know your view.

Just spent an hour or so watching Aki Spicer (the Chuck Norris of account planning according to one fan boy on the live chat) of Fallon presenting to both the internal audience at Fallon and the global audience (of 60 at the peak) who were interested in social media. A smart presentation with good, clear examples. Aki was honest up front to say it was a kind of social media 101 as essentially the “socials” are to inform, inspire and educate internally at Fallon but even still some good thoughts and inspiration. I really enjoyed it. Especially the fact that it was done using social media - check out all the options to participate (detach and distribute in the flesh, people). It’s so damn easy now to use these things that it’s almost criminal to not do it. A big round of applause.

Fallon do these every month so I look forward to checking in again. However, I will probably choose a different channel to view the session as the live chat on Yahoo! Live was a bit pointless and distracting, especially as each comment makes the irritating “boing” and distracts from the speaker. The broadband pipe at work also held up pretty well for the streaming and any pauses didn’t actually lose any words which is usually the case. Although the time delay when Aki got a bit excitable and waved his arms made me lol.

What will I take away (apart from the content which is down below, obv): I would like to do something like this with our planning function. And that delivering these things using social media has to be the norm, not the exception. Makes a mockery that location is important when I can tune into the US at 5pm GMT and participate live. Walk the walk and all that. Great job, Aki. I’m enthused and inspired.

“Markets are conversations.”

Well, we all should know that by now and should be putting it in place in all our work. But this statement originated in 1999. Way back when dial up tones were the norm. The statement came from the Cluetrain Manifesto which was way ahead of its time. This report from Technorati and Ogilvy revisits that manifesto and shows how to put it into place when you get into work on a Monday.

What I like is that there are some real examples of conversational marketing, social media, call it what you will. And how they worked and why. These case studies cover:

• An Inconvenient Truth
• Microsoft sponsored Live Earth site
• Shut up and sing campaign
• Scion and the Indie film community
• Sun microsystems

There’s a nice diagram too for finding, concentrating and syndicating conversations (above) and we all like more pictures, less words in any document.

I’m not sure it was necessary to devote a half page to a proposed conversational advertising code of conduct considering the one word that springs to mind and sings from the page is “transparency”. And somewhat disagree that “the real spoken language of peers is so much more interesting than copywriting.” Not if you have a good copywriter and they’re released from any corporate and legal shackles.

But well worth a read first thing on a Monday to get the old grey matter warmed up.

Found via Greg Verdino.

Who better to interview me than my good buddy Spam the Monkey…

Spam: You started this blog a year ago this week, tell us why you started?

Nick: [bluurb] stuff and things started about 2.30am when I couldn’t get to sleep in an odd period in my life. I’ve always been inquisitive and liked to collate and share information and reached my own tipping point to start blogging after meeting and seeing the goatee’d legend that is Greg Verdino in action while at Modem/Digitas and reading his words and also being inspired by a former colleague Professor Emmel. I chose wordpress as they’re free and I’m a tight get.

Spam: give us the headlines…

Nick: 268 posts, 108 comments, 808 spam comments (that’s junk, not comments about you), c.25,000 total hits. Unknown feeds as WordPress don’t track these anymore and I’m not geeky enough to know how to find this another way. I have no idea if these are good or bad or ugly. I enjoy doing it though.

Spam: last year was pretty shitty for you wasn’t it, huh?

Nick: yeah, that’s why your mum, Sue, sent you over from Boston to cheer me up. My dad died unexpectedly in April last year so that’s not going to be a happy anniversary in a few weeks. It’s still so hard to describe without falling into cliches. I’m just amazed how strong my mum has been through it all. And then my brother did his best to scare the shit out of us with his serious car accident in September when with slightly different circumstances he may not have been with us either. Through it all it makes you realise what’s important. I’ve also changed jobs twice which has been interesting and met some great people and learned some new things too but I’m hoping where I’ve landed will be all tickety-boo as Billy Connolly says. I think and hope 2008 will be better on many levels and you’re going to be Uncle Spam soon. Better tell your Uncle Brendan and your mum too otherwise they’ll be pissed with me for not knowing.

Spam: Damn straight mo fo, you don’t want to upset the Philly boy, Uncle Brendan. Anyways, what have you learned through being a member (fnarr, fnarr) of the blogosphere?

Nick: that it gives you confidence and credibility in talking about social media, web 2.0 etc. with your clients and colleagues alike. It’s a bit like homework and showing desire to know your subject. I’m amazed at how many people still have out-dated opinions about blogs, flickr, facebook etc. when they don’t actively participate and experience and be part of the conversation. Why aren’t you? I’ve also “met” a great deal of people, made new contacts and found some incredible sources of new inspiration. I like the fact that you can take a few different viewpoints from both seasoned and respected guys and some completely unknown chaps and enhance your own views and perspectives. I like the fact you can never stop learning.

Spam: and what’s not so great about it?

Nick: because you constantly find new stuff it’s easy to suddenly have a reader that’s way over 1,000 unread items. You have to continually refine your reading otherwise you just get swamped. There’s also the temptation to sign up for every new thing that’s out there (the next big thing or shiny box syndrome) and suddenly you’re having to update your status across many different applications. I’ve tended to stick to the blog and facebook with a smattering of Twitter.

Spam: we could go on for ages but I’m desperate for a pint… Ringwood Brewery pint of course. Shall we?

Nick: Yes, lets. You’re buying you tight f…

Thanks for being part of this adventure. Here’s to the next year!

After getting the 2007 edition, I then forgot to update my email info so had totally forgetten about this great report until Buckers placed a hard copy of the 2008 edition under my nose. Will try and have a read of this on Thursday when I let the train take the strain. Get yours here.

Or if you like to listen rather than read, get the podcast.

Avenue A | Razorfish also has good blog so slap that in your reader too.

They say change is good and everything is changing for me right now so it’d better be good. Having a child is a momentous occasion in itself and made me realise that I want to work closer to home but still have an exciting, challenging career. So for the first time in about 12 or so years I won’t be getting on the commuter express anymore and travelling into London town.

I will be starting at Lawton Communications Group in Southampton today. Don’t be mistaken that this is swapping bright lights, big city for afternoons by the Solent supping G&T or watching tractors go by. No chance. Lawton are a thriving business doing some incredibly creative and exciting digital work packed with some serious artisans and professionals. And I hope to bring my alleged talents to the mix in the planning team at Lawton as well as further learning my craft from and being inspired by those around me. Sitting in a centralised planning hub means I will get to work across a number of the group businesses including FivebyFive digital providing variety and constant challenge. I was sad to say cheerio to the people I got to know at Ogilvy and the clients I worked with, especially after such a short time, but this is the right choice for me, right now and gives me great opportunities both at work and at home.

I’m also still amazed and impressed by the way we found each other last year. They had been doing some web research for some presentations and came across my ramblings on these very pages. And liking what they saw and seeing I was available having left Modem/Digitas, got in touch speculatively. How cool is that? I got my new job because of my blathering in the blogosphere. And my new boss, like my old one (good luck @ Iris, John), has a blog too. I also love the phrase they use on their site which sums up the passion of the people I will be working with: we love the smell of digital in the morning. I can’t wait.

As an aside: in a slight departure from some Bowie-inspired ones, this headline taken from Soft Cell lyrics which is far better when Marc Almond sings it with Jools Holland and his rythm & blues orchestra.

Take a step back in time and flick through some classic TV ads including the Hamlet cigar\wig ads.

A very cool Mac virus film by these guys with even cooler stuff on their site.

Egg-shaped car seats and other interesting design and inspiration things at think/thing

Lots of free stuff on the web these days. Get this Free Love report. (via Steve Clayton via Armano on Twitter.)

A bit pointless but you too can make a tune by poking these ladies. So to speak. Found here

And this is pretty freaky the way she follows your cursor around. Can’t make her go cross-eyed though. (thanks to Bo). Created by these folk.

Lots of web-based video tools.

How do you get to the kidz these days? Well, music is one way. And these chaps seem pretty good at it. But the user experience of this part of the site is phucking (see, down wid da kidz) dreadful. Not book at all. Scale? Pan the page around? Zoom in/out? Phuck me. How about a PDF download for those of us who can’t be arsed to spend our days working out your funky, new-fangled interface?

I find this amusing

Post from New Tee Vee on Google launching ad sense for video

Never moan again in a restaurant or face getting a few F words on your bill

“Grab ‘em by the balls and their hearts and minds will surely follow.”

Quote from BBC series, Life on Mars. Just thought you might like it.

Hurty brain blog. Emmel was keen to point out the very good Carslberg activity. I like the whole blog. And I was going to share the Diamond Shreddies focus group separately but now you might as well look at it on that blog. Hilarious how people will believe any old crap.

Are your boobs OK? Norweigian “pop star” Lene’s are. She even sings about them and has managed to top the Norwegian chart with this little ditty.

I found the above while finding out about a competition for fring, a new mobile service being promoted by Ogilvy PR that lets you communicate with your fringsters for free.