Brian Feener

Rat Cat

Here’s a short list of the stuff this cat could choose to eat

• M&Ms
• dry cat food
• wet cat food
• bananas
• trash
• the junk at the bottom of the garbage disposal
• the corner of the chair
• a plastic bag

Sometimes the most wrong choice is the choice that people make.

I’m not sure which lesson applies here:

1. You don’t always know what your customers want.  Sometimes they don’t either.

or

2. The most remarkable products are the most accidental.

The video is P Diddy and Mase performing on the Rosie O’Donnell show.

This is the real-life execution of advertising for the sake of advertising.

I’m not a fan.

If you’re going to put your product out there for an audience, why bother spending time and effort trying to convert the un-convertible? Why speak to people who don’t want to listen?

Why Twitter when your #1 goal is to be on Twitter?

Frank at Comcast (of all companies) does it right.

Pandora is putting 15 second ads in between some of its music.  Occassionally.

As an avid supporter of the service I can say this: It’s ok, Pandora.  Your audience will be ok with the ads.  We understand that you love what you do and are trying really hard to make it work.

My comment to customer support was something to the effect of “Nice site…   bu you need to get it for the VZW Storm!”

Hey- it’s obvious when you cutandpaste.  If they want a user, Slacker is all set.  I’m not going to not use their service because of a bad email.  If they want a loyal customer, they might want to tone down the ad-copy in their emails.

(Yes, this post is specific but it applies to everyone.)

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Support <support@slacker.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Subject: RE: Feedback
To: Brian <brian@brianfeener.com>

Thank you for contacting Slacker Customer Support.

We are thrilled about the positive response we’ve received for Slacker.
Keep listening as we constantly add new music and new features.  Any
time you have an idea for a new feature, or just want to let us know
we’re doing a good job, be sure to give us feedback again.  It is your
ideas that make us better every day.

If you haven’t already tried it, be sure to check out the “create
station” feature to make your perfect station, featuring your favorite
artists.  You can even share your custom creation with your friends or
that special someone, and again, it’s completely free!

You can also learn about Slacker Radio Plus, which give you all the best
of Slacker plus even more, including unlimited skipping of songs, no
audio or visual ads, and unlimited song requesting through the station
creator!

http://www.slacker.com/products/radio/premium/

Check out our new online store where you can find Slacker Apparel, as
well as the brand-new Slacker G2 Portable Player, the player Maximum
PCawarded its  ”Kick Ass!” award, and PC Magazine saying “In my
experience, a handful of well-crafted channels on the G2 are much more
satisfying than an iPod filled with thousands of tracks” with its
ability to take your favorite Slacker stations with you where ever you
go!

http://www.slacker.com/products/portables/

Finally, if you would like to meet and interact with more of your fellow
Slacker listeners, share your stations and find brand new stations, meet
the DJs who play the music you listen to, or to check out new tips and
tricks of what you can do with both Slacker Radio and the Slacker
Portable Player, check out our brand new forums!

http://forums.slacker.com/

Again, we thank you for your interest and support of Slacker, and we
hope you continue to enjoy your musical experience with Slacker.

Best regards,

Frank S.
Slacker Support
http://www.slacker.com

• 1st Degree Funny - Funny at the time and funny when quoted later. (Anchorman, Happy Gilmore, Seinfeld)
• 2nd Degree Funny - Funny at the time and not funny quoted later or just un-quotable for timing/situation reasons. (Cheers, most Conan O’Brien stuff)
• 3rd Degree Funny - Not funny at first, but only funny when quoted back. (Napoleon Dynamite, Rejected)
• 4th Degree Funny - Funny in theory, but not actually funny (America’s Funniest Home Videos)

When you’re honest with yourself about what your place in the world is, things work out better.

“Punch your class,” (c) Rob Gordon, High-Fidelity

Apple can make a computer that’s “green,” a service that synchronizes EVERYTHING across multiple media platforms (MobileMe), and the most technologically advanced thumbscoop, ever.

But iTunes and CDDB still puts all the Artist Featuring Artist (example: T-Pain featuring Akon, Diddy & Mary J. Blige) together. I just want one more column of “featured” performers. It’s not that hard, Apple. And then instead of using CDDB, link it back to the Apple Store. It just drives me crazy that 1) all my songs have extra info in it, 2) that, left as-is, my iPod would be a MESS.

I don’t know how he is going to save face, but he said that he’s not going to allow Roland Burris to sit because the jr. senator from IL doesn’t have a signature from the Secretary of the State of IL.

The problem is that the signature is a formality in IL.

I get that there’s going to be a problem with any Blago appointment, but it really pays to read the rule book before you start citing the rule book.  Otherwise, you’re apt to look silly.  (Right LeBron?)

I understand having to stand up in situations like this is hard, but just come out and say “we dont trust the appointment” or “we think that we need more checking into the appointment, Mr. Burris.”  It’s not that hard to be honest with people when it’s as (historically-speaking) mundane as this.

Maybe your brand is having a similar issue.  Use the comments.