Livescribe goes live...

Haven't blogged in a while. Hard to find the time. Traction has been off the hook busy. We launched livescribe.com today timed with their company launch at Walt Mossberg's D5 conference. Lots of work for them coming up. They have such an amazing product. It's a smart pen that synchs audio with the written word so you can later recall what was said when you wrote something simply by tapping the paper you wrote it on. Basically, you'll never have to worry about missing a word again.

By the way, if you're reading this and you haven't checked out practicalunderpants.com, where the hell have you been? Brands and underwear. Very scientific stuff.

I just got back from an alumni luncheon at Google. First, I've got to say the sushi... just ok. I did get a very cool Google Maps notebook with a renticular cover that zooms in from outer space to their campus. I'm going to stick it in a drawer with my Yahoo Big Web Surfer t-shirt from 1998. This was a very nostalgic day for me, actually. My first (full-time) web gig was at SGI and Google has taken over their campus in Mountainview. I've come full circle. The talk was titled "The Consumer Takes Control: The Unbundling of Content and Advertising in the Web 2.0 World" given by David Fischer, who graduated 2 years after me. He's now VP of Online Sales and Operations.

Preso in a nutshell = advertising is completely changing and here's why:
1. democratization of tools of production
2. falling cost of storage
3. increased broadband penetration.

Google, of course there to pick up the pieces. Dave skirted around a question about Doubleclick but left it at Google currently solves the direct response part of the ad equation for marketers. D.C. does very well with branding, the other part. Put this together with Google buying aQuantive, the company that owns Avenue A/Razorfish and you've got a pretty clear picture of where the G-monster is going with this. Anyone who creates mediocre online creative is going to be marginalized in the coming years.

Speaking of Google, someone (I don't know who) at Google recommended Traction to someone else at AOL who called and might hire us to run a campaign for them this summer. Ok, bye.