MarkThink

Michael Jackson Has Died and Sony Is Still a Corporate Behemoth

I know Sony thinks they've done the right thing. They probably had 30 people -- developers, designers, front end engineers, copywriters, editors, sys admins, the button pushers -- stop everything, wake up in the middle of the afternoon, and get this heartfelt static home page up:

I think a better response would have been a brief message of sympathy and sorrow and then let the fans comment with their stories and memories.  It's Michael Jackson dot com goddamnit, not Sony dot com led by Sir Somebody.

This isn't a rant about social media, it's just the way the world now works. Let people share.

A Mardi Gras Playlist from Sarah and iMeem

While I'm sad that I can't be with Big Mike and crew in Norlins, I've enjoyed some great tunes and plan on being there next year...or the year after, like I always say. Check out wwwoz.org and Sarah's killer playmix.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans via SarahGreenEyes.

Are You Being Misunderstood?

After a recent incident of miscommunication, I was cheered up by a friend telling me that this video made him think of me.

Lessons for marketers:

• Clarity and enunciation are important. Eddie Vedder can get away with mumbling, you probably can't.
• It you don't communicate clearly, someone with a lot of time and a better sense of humor will create a YouTube video and mock you.

 (Make sure you stick around until the guitar solo at the 2 minute mark. "Make me fries." )

Check Out Happy Chichester

I enjoyed a good, unexpected concert this week when Happy Chichester opened up for Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan. I expected rocknroll; instead it was a night of entertaining personal singer and songwriter performances.

Happy Chichister was a highlight. As a loyal local rocker growing up in Cincinnati, I was a Royal Crescent Mob fan (fan site,; VH1 videos) and recently bought Omerta at a sidewalk sale. (It was also my chance to replace a lot of lost grunge CDs for cheap.) Happy's solo stuff was original, off beat, and honest with a pop sensibility. He's a comfortable storyteller who seemed he'd be comfortable in any setting that had an instrument he could play. 

Check him out if you get a chance. Here's a intro and song that show he can handle an awkward question and still perform.



[Update: corrected spelling from Chichister to Chichester. Doh!]