Reflections & analysis about innovation, technology, startups, investing, healthcare, and more .... with a focus on Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Blogging continuously since 2005.

Category: Marketing/Branding/PR (Page 2 of 29)

SaaS is so yesterday. The new hotness? Software WITH a Service: #SwaS

So, we know you’ve been sitting around wondering… what’s the next big wave in B2B software? Well, so have a bunch of Silicon Valley VCs, according to the author of a recent TechCrunch guest post, “Why ‘Do It For Me’ Is The Next Big Thing.”

Service-keyboard-450wThe author is Anthony P. Lee, a general partner at Altos Ventures, and he makes an excellent argument about how SaaS is no longer enough — specifically, for companies in the ginormous space we call Small Business.

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TruScribe, Cofounded in MN, Helps Weird Al Yankovic Take a Shot at Corporate America with ‘Mission Statement’ Music Video

In a post today in the Wall Street Journal “Speakeasy” blog (which covers media, entertainment, celebrity, and the arts), the latest music video from Weird Al Yankovic was featured. It’s hilarious!! Take a look there on that post (length is 4:34)… I'll wait.
TruScribe-logoWhat’s cool is that the video has a Minnesota connection. It turns out Yankovic and his longtime coproducer LeverageCoreCompetencies-250wtapped TruScribe to make it — starting some ten months ago. TruScribe is headquartered in Madison WI, but also has an office in downtown St. Paul. (In addition, it maintains international operations through many key European partnerships.) Andrew Herkert, who’s VP of sales and a cofounder, heads the St. Paul office and helped launch the company while a student at the University of St. Thomas about five years ago. TruScribe has grown significantly since then.

An excerpt from the WSJ post:

The song, from Yankovic’s new album “Mandatory Fun,” is in the style of Crosby, Stills & Nash… (it) features Yankovic harmonizing with himself on lyrics constructed of corporate jargon, like “operationalize our strategies” and “leverage our core competencies,” while the animated whiteboard video depicts a live-action hand that is drawing illustrations to go with the words.

“I wanted to do a song about all the ridiculous double-speak and meaningless buzzwords that I’ve been hearing in office environments my entire life,” Yankovic says by email. “I just thought it would be ironic to juxtapose that with the song stylings of CSN, whose music pretty much symbolizes the antithesis of corporate America.”

I laughed out loud at one comment on the post (from a guy named David): “Weird Al hits all the right points. Anyone who has written a press release should hang their heads in shame.”

WeirdAl-HisTweet072114TruScribe is getting a ton of praise today (including from Al himself), as you can see on its Twitter account.

And here’s a great blog post TruScribe  published today, Weird Al is making fun of you! And us, too.

TruScribe’s technology is called “Scribology,” and the company has built an impressive client list. TruScribe-Scribology(tm)

I had the pleasure of meeting cofounder Andrew Herkert at the most recent University of St. Thomas “Fowler Business Concept Challenge” (a student competition), where we were judges on the same team. Here’s what he had to say about the news today:

“Weird Al is a creative powerhouse, with a decades-long influence on pop culture, and that makes it an honor that we were selected as vendor for his whiteboard-animation project. The TruScribe team is optimistic this is just the beginning of a deeper relationship with the media industry. … I have high praise for Jay Levey of Imaginary Productions for catalyzing the vision for this video. Jay is Al’s  business partner and manager/agent/fellow visionary — they’ve worked together for many, many years. In fact, Jay discovered Al some 30 years ago.”

TruScribe is another great example of Minnesota creativity and technology innovation! Okay, Wisconsin claims them as well. We hate to admit it — but, yes, occasionally, cheeseheads can be creative, too… 🙂

W3i Rebrands and Launches New ‘Native’ Ad Platform; Names Trip Hawkins as Senior Advisor

(Note: This news appeared earlier this morning on Minnov8.com.)

NativeX_graphicW3i, one of Minnesota's largest and fastest-growing Internet companies, with headquarters in St. Cloud and offices in Minneapolis and San Francisco, just made a major announcement today.  The company has changed its name to NativeX and completely rebranded around a new platform to help developers better monetize their apps. The focus for W3i has long been primarily (though not exclusively) on game apps, so it's no surprise the announcement was timed to hit the wire as the company prepares for the huge Game Developers Conference, which takes place all next week in San Francisco.

With this move, the company is positioning to jump on what is becoming a clear trend toward advertising that is more specific, or native, to various web platforms, as opposed to the old, tired banner advertising, which everyone loves to hate.  W3i, now Native X, clearly wants to own the concept for apps, and what better way than to use the term right in their name?

A key part of the announcement today, adding mucho cred with the gaming community, is the addition
TripHawkinsof Trip Hawkins as an "advisor to the board."  Trip, whom the company rightfully calls an "industry giant," has a history going back to Apple's early days. You can read all about him here on his Wikipedia page.

“Native advertising is the future," Hawkins says in the news announcement. “Every major publisher on mobile and web has their eye on native advertising right now. NativeX is proving that we as an industry can do better than banner ads.”

What many observers would find even more interesting about this new initiative of W3i (now NativeX) is that a guy named Young Sohn is chairman of its board.  (More on Young below.)

I conducted an email interview with Rob Weber, cofounder and EVP of NativeX, after I got early word of this news last night:

Why did you decide to rebrand the company?

RobWeber"As we reviewed our marketing strategy, it became clear to us that the name 'W3i' didn't convey what we are all about. In the digital media world, most industry experts would agree that display advertising is broken. Even the largest banner ad units result in CPMs for publishers only in the $2.00 range, max. The reason for the low performance is display ads don't drive engagement, and ultimately value, for marketers. This is why Google invented a more 'native' ad unit for its business (paid search), Facebook created new ad units built for the news feed, Twitter launched sponsored tweets, and, locally, DoApp introduced 'RSS news ads.'  We are focused on solving this problem for consumer app developers, and we felt like the name 'nativeX' speaks directly to where we are headed — creating new, native ad units for developers that bring strong monetization to their business."

How did you get connected to Trip? What role will he play?

"I was first introduced to Trip about a year ago by a mutual friend on a trip to San Francisco. We stayed in touch, and it became clear he could help us in a number of ways. Trip will provide a strategic perspective to our board with respect to what is going on in mobile and in the app space, which is dominated by game apps. Trip will help us build even stronger ties and awareness within the broader app world, and specifically in the Bay Area. On a personal level, Trip has also been helpful as a mentor to me."

How long have you been planning this?  Who drove the rebranding?

"Plans have been in the works for a few months, and the rebranding effort has been led by our new VP of
DianaLaGattutaMarketing, Diana LaGattuta, based in San Francisco." [Ed.: Her photo at right, and her bio appears on the NatixeX web site.]

What changes will result to the organization locally, if any?

"In terms of local changes, we expect a clearer message to our target clients, along with the new technology we're launching, will enable us to continue to increase the value of our company, which will result in us ontinuing to hire even more folks locally."

How will this affect your SF organization? Will you be expanding it?

"We are looking to grow additional headcount in all three of our offices — St. Cloud, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. The Bay Area has a lot of relevant talent for a business like ours, and we plan to add significant headcount there. We've seen that the Bay Area talent we already have gives us the opportunity to increase our perspective, which helps the rest of the team grow faster."

Does it mean any significant new hiring plans right away?

"We have lots of hiring plans immediately. Check out our career page for specifics." [Ed.: That would be here. No specific jobs listed there as I publish this, but there sure is some enticing copy. And an email link to apply.]

What new partnerships, if any, will become a part of this new initiative?

"We will continue to ramp partnerships with mobile and desktop app developers. For example, in October we announced a new partnership with one of the globally most popular mobile app developers in the world, Imangi Studios, maker of the smash hit Temple Run. We have some other new partnerships that will be similar, but taking advantage of our new native technology."

What are the long-term implications in this for your company?

"We think the rebranding and new technology will help us create further differentiation in the market. We think we can own 'native advertising' within the app space. Expect to see more specifics in terms of new products, technology, partnerships, and more tied to this 'native' approach."

What if anything can we read into this because you have the Chief Strategy Officer of Samsung on your board?

"Young was 100% supportive of our rebranding."

Rob Weber and his company have long been champions of developers, not only helping them make money with their apps, but even helping them get funding to launch or expand. He wrote a guest post on VentureBeat earlier this month, Six ways the Five Horsemen of Tech can build better app ecosystems, in which he spoke about that. (The "Five Horseman" being Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Samsung.)

#3 Lend a Hand: Create Funding Programs for Developers

This one is also fairly obvious. On one hand, you have large thriving companies generating billions of dollars in revenue every year. On the other hand, you have an app market that gets more cutthroat every day and is filled with bootstrapped developers struggling to stay competitive. All of the horsemen should be creating sizable developer funds to help them build the teams and infrastructure they need to make great apps. Such funds would also encourage developers to leverage the horsemen’s technology and make something innovative on their platform. Samsung is a great example of this. With their recently announced $100 million Samsung Catalyst Fund, Samsung will expand their brand, work with great developers, and help build their app ecosystem as clarified at the recent Dive Into Media conference.

Horseman that does this the best: Samsung*

*Full disclosure, the Chairman of our board at nativeX, Young Sohn, is President and Chief Strategy Officer at Samsung, and is involved in overseeing Samsung’s fund.

Young Sohn will surely play a role in guiding NativeX to even more growth going forward. Stay tuned!

And, by the way, I'll be reporting from GDC next week myself, inlcuding updates about Minneapolis-based startup Canopy, which also will have a big presence there.

——-

(My disclosure: I provided consulting services to W3i in past years, but have no current contractual relationship with the firm.)

 

What Kind of Press Coverage Can a Minnesota Startup Get at CES?

Sensus_case+package_275wWell, plenty if its name is Canopy and its product is a revolutionary, touch-sensitive iPhone case, which adds touch technology to the back and right side.  The Sensus™ case drew huge interest at the 2013 International CES show in Las Vegas last week — as you can see from a partial list of media coverage below, stories known to have been published as of today's date. Many other blogs and news-aggregator sites reposted several of these stories, and numerous YouTube members posted video clips as well. In addition, the company's CES press release, sent via BusinessWire, was posted by a total of 465 media outlets. 

Needless to say, Canopy had a very successful CES!  And I'm proud to say that I helped orchestrate this coverage, working in concert with a trusted technology industry colleague, Barb Stinnett. It was an awesome experience working with the technology media to get the great story of the Canopy Sensus™ case out to the world!

PioneerPress  http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_22314869/making-their-cases

StarTribune  http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=185688982

Forbes  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2013/01/10/ces-sensus-touch-sensitive-iphone-case-rewrites-rules-on-smartphone-functionality/

The Verge  http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/6/3843720/canopy-sensus-touch-enabled-iphone-case-hands-on

CNet Reviews  http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/sensus-touch-sensitive-case/4505-6454_7-35566982.html

CNet First Look (video)
http://on.aol.com/video/canopy-sensus-touch-sensitive-iphone-case-review-517633054

NBC News  http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/case-makes-your-iphones-back-sides-touch-sensitive-1B7853794

VentureBeat  http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/07/canopy-sensus-iphone-touch-case/

TechCrunch  http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/06/sensus-case-adds-back-and-side-touch-controls-to-the-iphone/

Wired (Gadget Lab) http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/01/ces-2013-sensus-iphone-case/

Time.com  http://techland.time.com/2013/01/07/sensus-brings-a-touch-panel-to-the-iphones-behind/

PC World  http://www.pcworld.com/article/2023822/the-canopy-sensus-case-lets-you-touch-your-phone-all-over.html

TechInvestorNews  http://www.techinvestornews.com/Mobile/iPhone-and-iPad/sensus-case-brings-touch-controls-all-over-the-iphone

TouchArcade  http://toucharcade.com/2013/01/07/the-sensus-touch-enabled-case-seems-pretty-neat/

iLounge  http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/ces2013/report/canopy/

MacRumors  http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/07/ces-2013-canopy-sensus-case-adds-touch-controls-to-the-iphones-back/

TUAW  http://www.tuaw.com/2013/01/07/sensus-case-brings-touch-input-to-the-back-and-side-of-your-ipho/

GeekBeat.tv (Cali
Lewis)  http://geekbeat.tv/ces-2013-sensus-touch-sensitive-case/

Engadget  http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/06/canopy-sensus-case-adds-10-point-touch-to-iphones/

LA Times  http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/ces/la-fi-tn-ces-touch-sensitive-iphone-case-20130106,0,7921440.story

Laptop Mag  http://blog.laptopmag.com/canopy-sensus-worlds-first-capacitive-touch-iphone-case

——-

Radio interview during
CES Unveiled: "Into Tomorrow" with Dave Graveline (Canopy is 6th
guest, Hour 1): http://www.graveline.com/pastshows/Show_Notes_For_The_Weekend_Of_January_11_2013.html

NBC-LA live TV
interview the morning after "CES Unveiled": http://www.nbclosangeles.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/NBC4s-Mekahlo-Medina-At-The-Consumer-Electronics-Show/185886252

——-

iDownloadBlog  http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/01/07/canopy-sensus-touch-case/

Apple Magazine  http://applemagazine.com/could-canopys-sensus-case-help-change-iphone-gaming/1854

iPhone Life
Magazine  http://www.iphonelife.com/blog/97/canopy-sensus-ces-touch-sensitive-case

Examiner.com  http://www.examiner.com/article/canopy-sensus-case-adds-more-touch-sensitivity-to-your-idevic

Patently Apple  http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2013/01/sensus-to-intro-iphone-5-backside-touch-panel-case-in-july.html

Insanely Great  http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=12757

Macgasm  http://www.macgasm.net/2013/01/07/canopys-sensus-case-makes-your-iphones-body-touch-sensitive/

GearBurn  http://www.gearburn.com/2013/01/the-best-of-ces-2013-so-far/

Peter Bryer: Mobile
Foresight  http://www.peterbryer.com/2013/01/making-case-for-back-of-case.html

iPhonBuzz  http://www.iphonbuzz.com/ces-2013-canopy-sensus-case-for-iphone.pngth-integrated-touch-panel.html

The News Tribe  http://www.thenewstribe.com/2013/01/07/canopy-sensus-case-lets-iphone-5-4s-4-users-to-use-touch-all-over/

iPhone Rumors  http://www.iphonerumors.com/20130107/canopy-sensus-touch-sensitive-case-increases-iphone-controls/

iClarified  http://www.iclarified.com/26546/sensus-case-adds-touch-sensors-to-the-back-and-sides-of-the-iphone-video

PC Tablet  http://www.pc-tablet.com/15007-ces-update-canopy-sensus-case-protects-increases-touch-points-iphone/

Times of India  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/itslideshow/17955411.cms

Electronista  http://www.electronista.com/articles/13/01/07/initially.to.be.offered.for.iphone.4.4s.iphone.5/

iFans  http://www.ifans.com/blog/68578/

GadgetMac  http://www.gadgetmac.com/news/canopy-sensus-touch-sensitive-iphone-5-case.html

Before It's News (UK) http://beforeitsnews.com/science-and-technology/2013/01/ces-unveiled-2013-parrot-flower-power-canopy-sensus-trakdot-2516828.html

Phones Review (UK)  http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2013/01/07/apple-should-incorporate-canopy-sensus-case-features-on-next-iphone/

GeekExchange  http://www.geekexchange.com/ces-2013-unveiled-a-sneak-peek-at-new-technology-innovators-31775.html/ces-unveiled-2013-canopy-sensus-case

Today's iPhone  http://www.todaysiphone.com/2013/01/ces-2013-first-capacitive-touch-case-for-iphone-announced-by-canopy/

Cult of Mac  http://www.cultofmac.com/208619/sensus-multi-touch-iphone-case-works-great-but.pngll-probably-still-fail-ces-2013/

Science News Daily  http://www.sciencenewsdaily.org/consumer-gadgets-news/cluster281496378/

Gadget Review  http://www.gadgetreview.com/2013/01/canopy-senus-touch-sensitive-protective-case-for-ios-devices.html

Gizmo Chunk  http://www.gizmochunk.com/tag/canopy/

iPad News  http://www.ipadnews.nl/tag/canopysensus/

Multiplayer Online Game
Directory  http://www.mpogd.com/news/?ID=11456

ET6 Nation  http://www.et6nation.com/2013/01/sensus-case-adds-iphone-touch-controls.html

It Struck Me  http://itstruck.me/sensus-case-adds-back-and-side-touch-controls-to-the-iphone/

 

Blogger Pitch: Wow, Best Buy Is Trying to Buy Me for $100…

Shhh-SecretOkay, not just me — probably hundreds of bloggers got the pitch. I thought my friends from the early days of the BestBuy.com team would especially get a kick out of this.

Let's start a little contest: how many bloggers do you think will do it?  20? 30? 50? 

I won't be one of them.  Well, other than showing you the pitch — here it is, names and contact info redacted:

————–

Hi Graeme,
 
Seeking a faster, easier way to pick out your next favorite mobile tech gadget? And looking to learn all about it?
 
We’d like to invite you to come see how we’re making technology work for you. At Best Buy, customer comes first and convenience is our goal… so much so that we’re creating a whole new shopping experience with you in mind!
 
My name is XXXXXX, and I’m reaching out on behalf of Best Buy to invite you to discover the new shopping experience being launched this Saturday, October 13 at the following locations:
• Eden Prairie 11600 Leona Road  Eden Prairie, MN 55344
• Maplewood  1795 County Road D East  Maplewood, MN 55109
• Coon Rapids  12633 Riverdale Blvd NW  Coon Rapids, MN 55448
• Eagan 1235 Town Centre Drive  Eagan, MN 55123
 
By visiting the store this weekend, you’ll have an opportunity to see the new store layout first-hand, which you can then share with your readers.  A few upgrades you’ll notice with the new layout include:
• An expanded Geek Squad precinct, which can help make understanding your gadgets easier
• Eye-level displays creating more opportunities to play with and discover the technology you love
• Digital registers located throughout the store to streamline the check-out process so you can get in and out faster than ever
• New in-store digital displays that update as often as our products do so you can be in-the-know with the latest information on all your favorite brands


As a thank you for sharing information about the new store experience with your readers, we’d like to offer you a $100 Best Buy gift card, as well as the chance for your readers to win $25 Best Buy gift cards.  In addition, we also ask that you share your experiences on Twitter using the hashtag #NewBestBuy.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you’d be interested in this opportunity, and I’d be happy to provide more details.
 
If you cannot join us this weekend, that’s okay! We’d still love for you to share information about the new store layout and offer your readers the Best Buy gift card giveaway opportunity.
 
Making technology work for you starts with making stores that work for you. Come check out the new store and experience it for yourself!
 
To learn more, click here.
 
I look forward to hearing from you!
 
Thanks,
XXXXXX
On behalf of Best Buy


Find Best Buy on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter @BestBuy
 
                                                
XXXXXX XXXXXXX
Account Coordinator
Zócalo Group| XXX E. Randolph, XXnd Floor | Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: XXX XXX XXXX Email: XXXXXXXXX@zocalogroup.com

——–

So, what's your guess?  How many bloggers will take the $100?  It would be pretty easy for me to find out with a Goggle Search in a few days.  Look for my update to this post.

 

 

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