Archive for the ‘irishblogs’ Category

Mark Shields to talk at DCU

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Mark Shields

Mark Shields an American political columnist and pundit who appears frequently on CNN and PBS’s NewsHour with Jim Lehrer as a commentator. Shields also ran Robert Kennedy’s California campaign for president in 1968. He’s talking in DCU on Wednesday of this week – reg here to go and talking at NUI Galway on Thu.

The many tongues of business

Monday, November 17th, 2008

Help! My tongue stuck!
Photo owned by jerine (cc)

The more I meet businesses big and small and business people big and small, the more I see how many different ways these businesses communicate both internally and externally. It makes me wonder whether one of the main skills of an excellent sales person is not acting like a foreigner in a company but somebody who can speak to them in their own language.

If you think about those that may have learned English as as second or third language though and when they come to Ireland, they have a lot more to learn because of how we use and abuse English. Our English is quite different to the English of those in the UK or Canada or the United States. Only when someone starts becoming native do they get all those nuances. If you as a company are selling to the SMEs, medium-sized enterprises and large corporates then your language probably has to change to reflect this. Far far far too many sales people use their own bullshit-laden language to hide the fact their clueless about how the potential client operates. Shame on the client for allowing it. Shame on the sales manager for hiring such false people.

The Cluetrain Manifesto talked about the fact that enterprises are going to have to become more human in order to engage with the democraticised masses but what about engaging with the still conservative medium and large orgs? There are probably more businesses in Ireland without a website than with one, for example and many of these companies probably barely go online. They’re still using their own language and you’ll have to find out what it is.

From the Cluetrain:

# Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice.
# Whether delivering information, opinions, perspectives, dissenting arguments or humorous asides, the human voice is typically open, natural, uncontrived.

And they call it puppy love (45/52)
Photo owned by timparkinson (cc)

If you’re a small operation you’re going to need a gifted salesperson in order to talk to all these businesses and their dialects. Luckily with technology and the movement of intra and inter business communications to open/transparent spaces online, we can now immerse ourselves a little bit more in the culture of these businesses and additionally as a company opens itself up more, their dialect will change too. Hopefully that won’t be a mid-Atlantic drawl. Look at how much hiphop culture, a small subculture in actuality, has greatly influenced the culture of the whole world. So it will get easier over time but it’s going to be slow moving.

It’s kind of funny that so many social media consultants are talking about “markets are conversations” and to market to where the crowd is yet marketing to the crowd is not done by everyone. We have a bit of a revolution going on when it comes to online marketing and selling to the kids of the digital age yet there doesn’t appear to be any revolution in doing this the other way around. Where are the classes on how to communicate with the dull (but rich) corporates? Where are the guide books with phrases or words used in Irish SMEs, in Irish Corporates, in financial companies, in manufacturing companies… oh actually here’s one on jargon from John Murray from RTE but it covers more than business jargon.

When BizCamp happens I’ve love to start a group discussion about this idea of language.

Komplett suggest most Irish people are idiots

Monday, November 17th, 2008

By not being a customer you’re an idiot says new Komplett advertising campaign:

Komplett says you're an idiot
(Begin the photoshopping)

I’m not sure how such a campaign will go over in Ireland. By using emotional blackmail to push people into shopping with you, you can quite easily turn them against you. This has to be the stupidest advertising I’ve seen in Ireland in a while. Let’s hope these ads don’t encourage additional name-calling between people.

What it also suggests is if we somehow use that thing called logic is that unless you’ve always been shopping with Komplett then you too are an idiot but Komplett want your money anyway. Now that’s respect for the customer right there. I used to recommend Komplett.ie to lots of friends and associates. That stops today.

This is their press release on the matter:

“You’re Not An Idiot, Right?”, Komplett Asks Consumers
Key Facts

· Komplett is asking consumers across the country if they are really silly enough to be forking out massive amounts of money over the odds to retail stores this Christmas

· Flagship campaign rolled out across the country on billboards, in newspapers and magazines to point out the massive savings to be made purchasing online versus in the high street

· Challenging campaign with the slogan “You’re Not An Idiot… Right?” to drive the Komplett brand home and pick up market share from the rip-off-retailers

Update: Via an email from their country manager:

Of course a campaign like this is supposed to generate some interest – we’re a much smaller player, relatively, and have to make noise in a smart manner. I think that once people get past being called an idiot, they’ll take home the message that they could be saving themselves a lot of money by purchasing online.

… I’m just glad it’s garnering a response at all

Fluffy links – Monday November 17th 2008

Monday, November 17th, 2008

The Manky Toy show for 2008 is coming soon. Don your dodgy sweater, get out your bingo cards and get ready!

The Italian Foodies have a new home.

Calling all fashionistas. Want to go to the launch of some model thingy? Jason has some details.

Competition to win a meal in the lovely Fenn’s Quay restaurant.

Keith points out how Irish people are being screwed again for a most wanted phone, this time it’s Vodafone and this time it’s the Blackberry Storm.

Very interesting post from Michael Hanley on the propaganda model and how social networks and the Internet might have prevented it being used on Obama.

New blog – Party Down and Go Fuck Yourself.

Pat points out this shit hot application from Google for the iPhone.

Via Charles – Miley Cyrus and Stephen Baldwin are best buds and he has Hannah Montana initials tattooed on his shoulder/chest after she dared him. Oddness.

The SEO starter guide from Google is well worth reading.

Halfset – At This Moment Video removed

A tale of two TDs – McDaid says “not yes”, Joe Behan snuggles back up

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

The Cervical Cancer vote in the Dáil last week saw two on again, off again Fianna Fáil TDs vote completely differently on the matter,

Jim McDaid would not support the Government and abstained from the vote and had these strong words:

“We will pass a death sentence on a certain percentage of the 12-year-old girls whose parents cannot afford the cost of it.

“Is there anyone in this House who would not give the vaccine to their daughters today?” asked Dr McDaid.

He now gets kicked out of Fianna Fáil for a while as a result. Meanwhile, Joe Behan TD who many saw as a man of principle actually voted with Fianna Fáil in support of withdrawing the vaccine:

Mr Behan, who dissented on the medical card issue, has signalled he may be ready to return to the FF fold after he voted with the Government over the vaccine issues and said he backed the broad thrust of policies being pursued by Mr Cowen.

Offline today

Friday, November 14th, 2008

Go play with the traffic or head over to Beaut.ie and read that post about hairy backs.

Are the new viewers gone yet?

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

I’m channeling Ze Frank here…

Monkey!
Photo owned by guiltysin (cc)

Just a quick post to say hello to the new people that have subscribed to this website of late as I see my webstats are showing increases and my Feedburner stats say more people have subscribed too. I note many of you are business people. Hello world of Irish PR! It’s great you’re here as many offices now block this website because I use naughty words far too often. Fuck you web filtering software!

For all those that are new and are none too shy, why not leave a comment and say hello and who you are and how and why you’re hanging around these parts? Introducing yourself in the comments means everyone else that reads here can see who you are too. That’s a good thing. Unless it’s not. Then it’s different. It’s far from a networking event but it might be nice to say hello to each other because in the 8 years I’ve been writing on this site, it’s way beyond just about me, Mulley.net is now part influenced by the inmates.

Hello too to the kids with the funny accents who I chatted to at WIT yesterday. You were really sound.

Fluffy Links – Thursday November 13th 2008

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

Blogger/Webby get together on Nov 27th in Dublin

New blog new blog! The very cultured Fergal who created a fantastic soundtrack for Obamanight on LiveBlog.ie now has a blog devoted to music. I think this might result in me finding a lot more music I was unaware of. I was going to do the “checka check it out” line but I won’t. Oh.

Speaking of which, Sabrina’s latest blog cracks me up.

LinkedIn workshop with it@cork on December 10th in Cork. I’ll make you get better value from your LinkedIn profile.

Via the IIA Twitter feed: Join the Irish Internet Association for half-price. You can join the IIA here and use twit200 to get 50% off membership to end 2008

Check out the list of deleted .ie domains. Nice big list there. Nice domains too.

Gordon demos his latest sex toy.

I wonder what this lecture on the Wii in Galway was like?

This is what engagement should be about. Figure out what your customers like and do. Know as much as you can and then offer them something they can use. Oakley’s iPhone app.

The woman behind the fantastic and witty and fun Mars Phoenix Twitter account. A lesson on how to captivate the minds of geeks and space fans everywhere.

Via Alexia This Toshiba bullet-time ad takes things to the next level:

Ratatat – Mirando (Fanmade vid using Predator caps)

Cork Prison spends 90k on taxis over 3 years

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

The more puntastic headline for this could have been: Joyce Le Taxi

Perdões-MG Taxi e Presleyson
Photo owned by Presleyson Lima (cc)

I’m loving the Government eTenders site. Currently just searching for any tenders awarded with the Cork keyword. Found this:

The Irish Prison Service has a requirement for the transport of staff, visitors, prisoners, and small goods within the environs of Cork City and County areas, and occasionally as the need arises further afield. It is expected that the service will commence in early 2008 for initial period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further 12 months. The contracted service provider will be available to provide taxi services throughout the day and throughout the year to Cork Prison, as required.

It’s for 90k over three years starting in 2008 and was awarded to Joyce Russell Cabs

Fluffy Links – Wednesday November 12th 2008

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Fergal has a good post on Irish politics and Obama stylings.

While it’s advice for those interested in Civil Partnership rights, Suzy’s excellent advice should be used by all campaigners.

Michael Knight – Youth Is Wasted On The Young, now available for cheap download.

Donncha shows us who the noisiest Irish Twitterers are.

Nice post from Alexia on the idea of a desktop app store. Adobe should be creating one of them for Air developers and Photoshop plugin developers.

Indeed, this is very funny.

Congrats to all on the launch of Gadget Republic.

Getting married soonish? Care to take the Wedding Budget Survey for Ciara?

Krishna is doing a master class on LinkedIn in Dublin on Nov 21st. Have a looksee. it@cork should be doing one around December 10th too. I think I’m down as presenting.

Chuck Norris. Still crazy.

Facebook now allows booze companies.

Martin Murray in Interactive Return covers: Brand Reputation and Management

Bob Dylan – Huck’s Tune. (fanmade vid so ignore)