Disqus - Latest Comments for jdilwort

Re: Totem

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 18 May 2010 04:03:14 -0000

I think you are being at least halfway facetious, but the sad truth is that is exactly what we're going for. Crap.

Re: How Data Will Impact the Way We Do Business

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:27:55 -0000

I think this is also a really good point. And I actually do make a very concerted habit of browsing newsstands, reading Perez, and not fast forwarding through *all* of the commercials;) I am hyper-aware and possibly paranoid that I live in a bubble and only market from a place of cold objectivism, and not a place of empathy. It's a constant battle. You cannot trust the data too much -- it needs first-hand experience to crystallize, more often than not.

Now, all that said, data-centricity is more mainstream than you think -- Radian6 was firmly embedded in the MTV music awards, TIME's long-running "By The Numbers" feature continues to resonate, and efforts like NYC's BigApps open gov't data initiative have produced novel new applications that are meaningfully improving the quality of life in that city.

Re: How Data Will Impact the Way We Do Business

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:18:20 -0000

That is actually a hilarious and very good point. People absolutely do use data to justify decisions after the fact -- I'd of course argue that you have to fight fire with fire, but that's another matter altogether. I agree that data can be used to hijack conversations, and manipulate rhetoric. It is definitely unfortunate. And likewise, if/as data can reframe an issue -- its value re-emerges. Great points.

Re: Marketing in 2010: It’s All About the Data

Josh Dilworth — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:04:35 -0000

Aaron -- LOL. Your shenanigan was pure genius, btw.

I do, though, think that the idea of personal CRM is still interesting and that one day, someone is going to crack the nut. Root Markets wasted a lot of $$ trying to get after such an opportunity, and they failed for a lot of different reasons, but I still think about them from time to time...

http://majestic.typepad.com/seth/2005/11/media_...

Re: Marketing in 2010: It’s All About the Data

Josh Dilworth — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:56:49 -0000

Okay in that sense I agree for sure -- but on some level you should yourself write a guest post for Mashable on a.) some of the more interesting outliers of where creative is and will be going, and b.) how we can synthesize a data-driven, empirical/scientific approach to targeting, while still leaving enough room for surprising and delighting and serendipity and 1+1=3, etc.

The other thing I'd argue is -- well, why does spam exist? Because enough people actually click on the links and offers to make it profitable, at a certain scale. They're dumbasses, but nonetheless. If a boring and data-driven approach to creative actually produces better conversation rates and better yield, that is because they will have been more effective ads in the absolute value. The market will or will not self-correct, depending on a variety of factors.

My gut tells me, however, that people want and will respond (and always will respond) to great creative.

And moreover, a data-centric world and a creative world do not need to be at odds IMHO. If anything, a granular understanding of the data should be liberating in a creative sense -- you'll know more about who you're talking to, and as such you'll be able to be more gutsy, and carry more of a POV, instead of trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I think that data-centricity will actually result in much more interesting and compelling ads (and PR). As is always said, the difference between advertising and content is relevance. If data increases relevance, then you'll be creating somethignt hat looks a lot more like content, instead of "ads" per se. This is already well-underway, in fact.

And that content will be very specific, and very targeted. In that sense, I think that the increased constraints will be productive instead of destructive -- and isn't that always the case anyway? The best art only ever happens under duress, as Hunter Thompson would say;)

Re: Marketing in 2010: It’s All About the Data

Josh Dilworth — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:13:10 -0000

Here's the thing though -- look at sites like http://www.flowingdata.com and you'll see how creative you can be with data -- I'd argue that the tools are changing, as are the raw materials, but that the creative act is in no way going away.

The NYT's data visualization lab is another great example -- these points have not been lost on big media.

http://vizlab.nytimes.com/

My point -- gathering and curating data is indeed a science. But faceting and presenting it is and always will be an art. At the end of the day, it's all storytelling.

And...I like the idea of it all becoming more empirical. We may lose some of the hoodoo voodoo that some of us make a lot of money on, but we also get rid of a lot of the BS and glut in marketing -- the wasted dollars spent self-aggrandizing and blowing smoke.

Re: Marketing in 2010: It’s All About the Data

Josh Dilworth — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:08:29 -0000

Amusingly, read Ben Parr's post immediately following this one -- Digg doing the data journalism thing to define the Web zeitgeist. Automated year-end list making:

http://mashable.com/2009/12...

And what it does marketing-wise is cement Digg as a place to track and understand, to have a finger on the pulse, etc. In fact, Digg 365 productizes this very idea...

Re: Marketing in 2010: It’s All About the Data

Josh Dilworth — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:05:40 -0000

Sytaylor -- agree, and to that end, check out some of the new developer tools that Twine will release soon:

http://www.novaspivack.com/uncategorized/twine-...

Re: My boilerplate SXSWi hotel recommendations

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:51:08 -0000

We totally short host some sort of listserve -- i have been getting calls up the wazoo. Maybe Todd form Better Than the Van could do a SXSWi edition of his service?

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/05/how-microsoft-views-holes-in-todays.html

Josh Dilworth — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:57:36 -0000

This is really interesting and useful. thanks for sharing! Like others I'm super curious about how the above is going to play out in the Kumo launch, and it's also clear that it is going to be a big summer and Fall for search innovation -- MSFT, IBM's Watson, Swingly, Siri, Wolfram Alpha, Aardvark, Hunch, Scoopler, OneRiot, Duck Duck Go, etc. Yowser!

Re: Josh Dilworth

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:19:35 -0000

Connie -- totally agree and I love NML's mission in that sense -- I donate as much of my time to "the cause" as I humanly can, but their/your biz model, as you indicate, is perfect for the kind of evangelism that we need.

Basically, this is all just to say -- you rock.

Re: Josh Dilworth

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:33:11 -0000

Rock on -- and I very much appreciate the comment. Rubber-meets-road is where it starts and ends -- the strategy and creative thinking and "pie-in-the-sky" stuff comes in between. There absolutely a lot of people and firms that do it the "right" way too -- but I think what I'm reacting to is a change I'm seeing that I'd like to nip in the bud -- the idea tactics are "passe" hehe. Great to meet you -- and I'm perusing your own blog now -- rock.

Re: Josh Dilworth

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:19:35 -0000

I'm down to donate time, coordinate, and/or promote. Let's connect on next steps offline, but methinks it a great idea. Booya.

Re: Josh Dilworth

Josh Dilworth — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:42:25 -0000

Wow, you've got me thinking too -- great comment. I'd really love to hear your rate about billing rates, etc. -- I totally agree that the model is ripe for disruption.

Project-based billing and retainers also have their own problems, so I am assuming you are suggesting some sort of pay for performance model? I ran some numbers a while back hehe based on a performance model -- and I would be doing muuuch better $$-wise than I am now. Which would rock. But in so doing I'd price myself out of the startup market. You'd have to grade it on a curve of sorts. That said, I still really like the idea. And it has the nice consequence that if you suck, you don't get paid. It allows the market, as it were, to self-correct.

I also agree with your overall point about accountability. I've been around the block enough to see it done well/right, and see it done poorly. And the thing is -- when it's done poorly -- it's done REALLY poorly, and the effects are almost immediate. The program and/or the agency itself and/or the marketing department go right down the tubes. And you're correct -- then everything is justified away. Never underestimate self-preservation!

Well, now we both sound pretty cranky. Ha! But I do think you're correct, and I'm going to continue thinking along these lines, and especially around how to put the "new level of committment" that you talk about into the DNA of our agencies and teams and reportees and bosses.

Re: http://blog.louisgray.com/2009/03/day-zero-of-sxsw-interactive-in-books.html

Josh Dilworth — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 03:55:27 -0000

So glad that you are here and looking forward to the panel;)

Re: About › Startup District

Josh Dilworth — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:29:53 -0000

Major props to Colin and John for pulling this site together -- it is beautiful and is indeed the "hub" that Austin needs!

Re: What the heck is PR, anyway?

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:37:41 -0000

Thanks, Kyle! I'm working on another post -- "Why PR is a blue collar job" -- I think you'll like it;) Thanks for reading, too, I really appreciate it.

Re: What the heck is PR, anyway?

Josh Dilworth — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:05:51 -0000

Heck yeah -- totally agree. And often the priorities for one company/start-up are very different than for another -- imitation is the sincerest for of flattery, but it sure doesn't work when it comes to marketing. Each venture owns a specific moment -- in time, in the market -- and the best PR teams understand this;)

Re: Web 3.0 and Knowability -- Diagram

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:01:48 -0000

Kyle, that is awesome that you are doing it, though! I have been really surprised that Austin has a fluent and altruistic semweb community and if there's any way that I can help, lemme know. I had the luck of getting into this stuff very early and learning from some of the best minds around, and so if to any degree I can help pass that knowledge along, game on;)

Also, have you looked at Dapper's Semantify? http://budurl.com/mshe

Re: Web 3.0 and Knowability -- Diagram

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:55:09 -0000

Deirdre -- Rock on, many thanks, and if you ever wanna chat about these issues, please send me a line. In the meantime, this preso is the best primer I know of: http://budurl.com/q46j

Re: Falken's Maze

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:19:02 -0000

Rest assured, there are any more episodes coming! My Mac hard drive 100% wiped out on me and I a currently engaging with a very expensive data recovery service to get my stuff back (me= did not back up, foolishly). I have a lot of redundancies, but FM is nonetheless suffering. We should finally be back up and running in about a week. Thanks, Andraz!

Re: rizzn's personal blog

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:13:28 -0000

Hells yes! Sounds like a great idea, and congrats;)

Re: Taking Stock: Analysis of the Top 5 Technology Blogs

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:25:19 -0000

Thanks! Hehehe the InTouch Weekly comment is hilarious. You're right re: crowdsourcing -- but there's a word that I'm looking for and just not finding it. Ideas? There's definitely something there in terms of your openness and embracing of a diversity of opinions and backgrounds. . .and it's unlike Techcrunch, for example -- instead of sleeping on Pete's couch, your writers are in pretty much every case out there living the tech world in some way or another.

Also, congrats on bringing Leslie on board -- LOVE her.

Re: Taking Stock: Analysis of the Top 5 Technology Blogs

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:20:47 -0000

Thanks, Joe! And thanks again to FF;) Glad to hear that the analysis echos your own experience -- I often worry that the way we see ourselves within ye olde tech bubble is out of touch with large swaths of the community. . .

Re: Taking Stock: Analysis of the Top 5 Technology Blogs

Josh Dilworth — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:18:15 -0000

Thanks, Chris! I'm laughing aloud about your personal branding comment. Hehehe.

;)