Mike’s Points

A posting today (Monday) by Steve Rubel/Microspersuasion dealt with a story in the “St. Petersburg Times” about Sunbelth Software. To summarize, Sunbelt discovered an identity theft ring, and gained international media attention because of its discovery. (Yes, it did notify the FBI.)

How did it make this announcement?

Through a news release via PRNewswire or BusinessWire?

No.

Sunbelt Software posted a message on its company’s blog.

While some companies like Microsoft and Google already have blogs and offer feeds for their company news and blogs, it’s definitely not the norm.

At least, not yet.

But, in the future, more and more companies will distribute their news simply via corporate blog posts and/or via XML feeds. Not just technology companies, but all companies. In plastics, in building products, in automotive, utilities, institutional, etc., and other industries and markets.

Rather than pushing news to media, the media will be pulling ustomized news from the companies and industries on their beat. Today’s newsrooms — many which don’t even exist in B2B companies — will primarily consist of blogs.

It’s just another example of the amazing personalization and interaction the Web offers.

– Mike

Boy, is FedEx pulling a PR goof.

It is ticked off at Jose Avila, an Arizona software programmer who set up his new apartment with FedEx furniture: FedEx boxes made into a couch, chairs, a bed, etc.
Wired is among the outlets with the story.

You’ll see that FedEx’s lawyers are not happy, and have sent cease and desist letters.

Fortunately, Mr. Avila has help from the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society (see his site for its responses to FedEx).

FedEx should quit worrying about the alleged misuse of its logo and graphic representations. It should jump in with Mr. Avila, and give him his 15 minutes of fame.

It’s apparent that Mr. Avila uses and likes FedEx, right?

Here is essentially a tribute to FedEx — at least the sturdiness of its boxes — and FedEx is trying to squash it.

I read in Mr. Avila’s blog that he received an e-mail from DHL offering to use its boxes, if he needs new furniture.

At least, UPS and others should jump in.

I would. Hey, Jacuzzi(R) did the right thing a few months ago when the Ellen Degeneres show used its name as a generic word for hot tub.
– Michael