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07 October 2004   

 

Viral & Buzz Marketing Association: Manifesto

"All members of the VBMA share the conviction that Viral Marketing,

Buzz Marketing and Word-of-Mouth Marketing (and other related marketing approaches that harness network-enhanced word of mouth) are based on the principles outlined below, and that we work constantly on improving these marketing techniques:"

This certainly makes me cringe. Their 4th point: "we believe that whatever our target, we will always be dealing with educated people who detect when they are being deceived" means, we'll trick them into doing our work for us. Some how.


I know it would be a wonderful power for marketers to harness and exploit but genuine memes do not come from group brain storming. The only corporate memes that have taken off have been anti. Or, laughing at the stupidity of artificial 'buzz.'

But then again, I could be wrong, perhaps the best have been so insidious, I've missed them.
 


1962 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 4:10:41 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Viral & Buzz Marketing Association: Manifesto

 

 

I'm an old hypochondriac

For several months now, I've had in my mind that I had 'something nasty' in my mouth and throat. I have a large lump to the side of my tongue about the size of kidney bean.

Everybody I've seen, my family doc, the dentist, and ear, nose and throat specialist, all said, "it wasn't anything to worry about," probably related to the missing molar I had extracted 10 years ago. They give it a look, a poke, and that's that.

Of course, they would say that. They're sparing me. No need to tell him the worst. Not yet. Not till we know for sure.

Today I saw a facial surgeon. This was the day they were to tell me, I figured, that they'd need to do a biopsy to find out why/what/how long. This is how it starts.

I've been picking up signs all morning. Nick Owen, stung by a bee 40 years ago, gets cancer. As I watched the bath water drain out of the bath, this was my life. I saw a hearse on the drive over, it followed me. Radio 4 talked about some gardener dying young of cancer. Autumnal leaves fill the trees, not long before they too, drop.

The nurses smiled, knowingly. Understandingly.

This was my last morning, before they told me the truth.

First an all round face x-ray. And more waiting. More reading of food magazines. I read about balsamic vinegar in Italy. Very interesting stuff. Can't remember a word though.

The geezer called me in, poked. Asked about my heart. Then asked me to look at the x-ray. This was it.

When they took my tooth out, they left a bit of root. This is infected and slowly leaking through my gum. If it wasn't leaking, my face would have swollen out. Easy job. Local anaesthetic. Two weeks. He's off next, otherwise it'd been next week.

I feel like jumping up and shouting, "YESSSS!"

I can think again of the future.

 


1961 Also posted to: personal . At: 3:22:50 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: I'm an old hypochondriac