Vote for your favorite Web 2.0 sites @ Webware

Webware.com is a CNET site that covers the world of web-based productivity, data-driven, and community services applications. Voting is currently open for their annual Webware 100, which is basically a who's-who of the top Web 2.0 sites. Thousands of nominations were submitted, the Webware editors selected the 300 finalist and now, we the people get to pick our favorite 100.


Austin's own and Austin Ventures backed Spiceworks is in the running in the Utility and Security category.

LinkedIn New Look and Feel

If you are a LinkedIn user, be sure to check out all the changes to the site that must have been pushed late last night:

LinkedIn's new redesigned homepage with Status

If you are not a LinkedIn user, I would love to know why the hell not!

And while you're at LinkedIn why not checkout my profile: Robert Gilbreath LinkedIn Profile

Want some Starbucks? TOO BAD!

Tonight from 5:30 to 9 pm (CST) all Starbucks locations will be closed. I'm not a huge Starbucks fan, but I think anytime a brand/retailer with the presents of Starbucks decides to close all its stores something possibly newsworthy is happening. In this case, not so much. From the online version of the Austin Business Journal: "According to the company's Web site, Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. will close all 7,100 company-owned stores across the country from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. for an in-house training session for its 135,000 baristas. The company said the educational sessions will 'provide a renewed focus on espresso standards' and will 'transform' the customer experience."

"Transform the customer experience"? I feel the ever-so-slight urge to go to Starbucks tomorrow morning to see if the experience is any different. I wonder if I'll notice their renewed focus on "espresso standards" if a order a regular decaf coffee?

Bazaarvoice vs. Powerreviews

User generated content (UGC) is a hot topic right now and the two hottest companies in the product review arena are Bazaarvoice and Powerreviews. I'm going to email my contacts at both companies asking them to comment on this post. I want to know why their review system(s) is(are) the most innovative, why their revenue model and fee schedule is the correct one, why an online retailer would want to sign with them...basically I want to know why they are the best. Also, I'd like them to state their name and position in their comment.

Who's Watching Who #24

Here's a Who's-Who of folks that have contacted us and/or checked-out the blog
and/or called to praise/complain, and/or any combination thereof over the past week:

Charles B Travis Architects - Austin, TX
FODA Studio - Branding and Design - Austin, TX
ITD Consultants - Mechanical and Electrical services - UK
J Walter Thompson - arguably the world's first advertising agency
Pictage - Wedding Photo related website - Torrance, CA
Vocus - On-Demand Software for Public Relations Management - Lanham, MD

Veteran Visitors who came back for more (and more and more):
BBDO - Ad Agency Network - Worldwide
Crispin Porter + Bogusky - Ad Agency - All over the place
Fatty Paws - Large Breed Dog Care - Santa Barbara, CA
GSD&M Idea City - Ad Agency - Austin, TX
Homeaway Vacation Homes - Austin, TX
Neiman Group - Ad Agency - PA
WPP Group - Agency Network - Worldwide

Been to the blog but don't see your company on the list? Shoot me an email or post a comment. If you email us, make sure you send it from your company email account so that we know it is the real-deal. Let us know what you think and maybe share a bit of info. The ~worst~ that will happen is that you get a free link to your site. Not a bad trade for a bit of good SEO if you ask me. If you don't know what SEO is then please email me sooner rather than later.

Selling 3.0: A (R)Evolution in Sales

Last night I attended the February meeting of TEXCHANGE - Austin. Texchange events are basically networking, dining, a presenation, and round-table discussion groups for technology entrepreneurs.

Last night's panel was comprised of:

Dave Panos, CEO - Pluck
Justin Halloran, VP Sales - HomeAway Vacation Homes
Michael Osborne, VP Sales - Bazaarvoice
Randy Meriwether, President - Meriwether Consulting Group

A comprehensive summary of the presentations and discussion has been posted by Thom Singer
and can be found here: Selling 3.0: New Business Models Driving a (R)Evolution in Sales

GSD&M Wins One from Crispin...sort of

Sorry folks, GSD&M has not won an account previously held by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, but it has hired/taken Mark Taylor, a vice president / associate creative director from their Miami office.

Here's the Austin American Statesman article: GSD&M hires new creative officer

And here are some interesting posts on the event:

Addendum: Told You So: Idea City Steals A New Creative From Crispin
Poached Crispin
Blog posts/comments on Statesman site

Got to Love Creatives - Part 3

This third and possible final installment of "Got to Love Creatives" is best enjoyed if you follow these steps:

1. Read part one - Got to Love Creatives

2. Read part two - Got to Love Creatives - Part 2

3. Check out the image/ad below - from the most recent issue of the fashion magazine:


















How's that for the power of the press (blog)?

Just Tell the Truth

I read an article over the weekend that got me thinking about how often people lie and I remembered this Mark Twain quote that my dad would use with me when I was a little kid and just learning about how important it is to just tell the truth:

"Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said." - Mark Twain

He's a couple of other good quotes in regards to lies that I think speak volumes:

"He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual." - Thomas Jefferson

"Falsehood is easy, truth so difficult." - George Eliot

“I never lie because I don't fear anyone. You only lie when you're afraid.” - John Gotti

Who's Watching Who #23

Here's a Who's-Who of folks that have contacted us and/or checked-out the blog
and/or called to praise/complain, and/or any combination thereof over the past week:

Deutsch - Ad Agency - LA, NY, Toronto
Double Click - Internet advertising soultions
Fatty Paws - Large Dog Care Info - Santa Barbara, CA
Fossil - Does anybody know what time it is?
Getty Images - online stock photos
Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen pc - Lawyers - Chicago area
Homeaway Vacation Rentals - Austin, TX

Veteran Visitors who came back for more (and more and more):
BBDO - Ad Agency Network - Worldwide
Crispin Porter + Bogusky - Ad Agency - All over the place
Google - Mountain View, CA
GSD&M Idea City - Ad Agency - Austin, TX
Neiman Group - Ad Agency - PA


Been to the blog but don't see your company on the list? Shoot me an email or post a comment. If you email us, make sure you send it from your company email account so that we know it is the real-deal. Let us know what you think and maybe share a bit of info. The ~worst~ that will happen is that you get a free link to your site. Not a bad trade for a bit of good SEO if you ask me. If you don't know what SEO is then please email me sooner rather than later.

Wednesday's Work Whereabouts #5

Here's the deal.

On (most) Wednesdays I post a few online marketing, advertising, creative jobs.

Your end of the deal:
Job seekers: If you apply to one of my posted jobs, please tell them you heard about the job at Adomatica.com.
Job Posters: If you have any openings you would like for me to post, please send them my way. Also, If someone applies for a job and tells you they heard about it at Adomatica.com, please let me know.

That's a fair deal, right?

Here are today's postings:
Interactive Product Manager - nFusion - Austin, TX
Senior Account Executive - Pluck - Austin or NYC

Got a Big Dog?

My good friend Alex Dea just launched a new website called FattyPaws.com that "is an experiment in creating a new community focused on caring for your larger than average canine. Their product and location reviews are centered around making sure you are educated about what's needed to suit your dog's lifestyle."

INTERPOL for advertising?

This post came to me from a new contact over at BBDO. She's got a theory that's worth sharing with those of you who are on the creative side of the business and/or have ever been out hunting for a new agency job.

"Okay. I am COMPLETELY convinced of something.

You may thing this is contrived, but for those who know, KNOW.

For those of you who are in advertising, you know how close-knit everyone and everything is. You know someone who knows someone who knows someone...its a vicious circle. I GUARANTEE you if we played a 14-hour game of six degrees of separation, we could find a way to link EVERYONE in advertising, all the way down to the 1st quarter student at The Circus.

I'm convinced that there is an undisclosed INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) for advertising. Once you fill out your information at a portfolio school or internship, your name is inserted into a secretive database that's kept in a private cave in upstate New York. Satellite offices? North-west Chicagoland area, Bay Area outside San Fran and a new one opening up in the west suburb of Miami.

Information is shipped off and entered... and when a person is looking for a job, they check out the agency and send off their book. The PR person goes downstairs in a stale, dark, secured room, entering only with a retinal scan and tissue sample. She has to take off her shoes and put her hair in a cap to prevent any static...she enters the room and types in your name, direction and current phone number. Then a green and black grid of the world pops up on the screen while the computer beeps LOADING. The screen scrambles for a second and pulls up your name, SSN, logo identity, website, Dan Balser and Norm Grey's comments from EVERY class you took, your grades all the way back to Sylvia's class and a video clip of your graduation speech. A few swift keystrokes and the mystery woman sees every agency that you've submitted your .pdf too, emailed, stopped by, and met with at a portfolio review.

A few more keystrokes and she can see every comment about you every agency has said behind your back after they told you "We're in a holding pattern at the moment..." She reaches for the mouse to her right, and scrolls down and briefly nods to herself as she reads the comments. As she reaches the bottom of the page, a computer prompt pops up. "WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD YOUR OWN COMMENT?" A tap of "OK" and off she goes, typing in what each ECD, CD, PR and whatever person had something to say about you, said. She hits what I assume to be Apple+S and "SAVING..." flashes across the screen. A few seconds later, she clicks "OK" and exits the program. She smiles slightly to herself as she swivels out of the cold, backless, metal chair, presses her palm against the access pad and shuffles back to her desk to throw you, your hard spent education money AND your book into a pile of faceless numbers and codes.

And THAT friends, is my theory.

Any objectors?"

Who's Watching Who #22

Here's a Who's-Who of folks that have contacted us and/or checked-out the blog
and/or called to praise/complain, and/or any combination thereof over the past week:

Andrews & Kurth - Straight Talking Lawyers - Austin, TX and Beyond
Fisher Productions - Event Production - Worldwide
Texas Tech University - Fair well Bobby Knight
Yale University - Another ivy league school gets hooked on Adomatica

Veteran Visitors who came back for more (and more and more):
Crispin Porter + Bogusky - Ad Agency - All over the place
Google -
GSD&M Idea City - Ad Agency - Austin, TX
Leo Burnett - Ad Agency
Neiman Group - Ad Agency - PA


Been to the blog but don't see your company on the list? Shoot me an email or post a comment. If you email us, make sure you send it from your company email account so that we know it is the real-deal. Let us know what you think and maybe share a bit of info. The ~worst~ that will happen is that you get a free link to your site. Not a bad trade for a bit of good SEO if you ask me. If you don't know what SEO is then please email me sooner rather than later.

Adomatica Launches Facebook Page

Adomatica is now on Facebook and if you are also on Facebook, please become a fan.

It's easy:

1. Go to this page: Adomatica on Facebook
2. Login to your Facebook account
3. You want to get back to this page: Adomatica on Facebook
4. Become a fan of Adomatica

Thanks and have a great day!

SEMPO: Search Salary Survey

SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization) recently released their first ever In-House SEM Salary Survey. No huge surprises here. As assumed, compensation is largely based on experience as in most industries. Search marketers aren't crazy dot-com money wasters after all.

See the full article here:
Reality Check: In-House Search Marketing Pays Well
But Not Dot Com Hype Levels

Looking for a few good writers/bloggers

Do you work at an ad agency?
Do you want to share your experiences with the world?
Do you want to share random advertising thoughts and ideas with the world?
Do you want to gossip about ad agencies without anyone knowing who you are?

Whether or not you answered yes to any of those questions, I'm still interesting in having a few extra folks contribute to my blog.

Here's my email address: Robert@Adomatica.com

Send me an email even if only to say hello and let me know you stopped by the blog.

Maybe you'll have more to say....

Wednesday's Work Whereabouts #4

Here's the deal.

On (some) Wednesdays I post a few online marketing, advertising, creative jobs.

Your end of the deal:
Job seekers: If you apply to one of my posted jobs, please tell them you heard about the job at Adomatica.com.
Job Posters: If you have any openings you would like for me to post, please send them my way. Also, If someone applies for a job and tells you they heard about it at Adomatica.com, please let me know.

That's a fair deal, right?

Here are today's postings:
Inside Sales - Kapow Technologies - Austin, TX
Senior Account Executive - Pluck - Austin or NYC

eMarketer's Future of Online Marketing Presentation

Geoff Ramsey, Co-founder and CEO of eMarketer, spoke at the January 24th lunch meeting of the Austin Interactive Marketing Association.

Here's the powerpoint deck: Predicting the Future: Separating Hype From Reality in 2008

Austin Ventures - Not all about profits

Austin, Texas-based Austin Ventures has been chosen to receive the Torch of Liberty Award from the Anti-Defamation League.

Read the Austin American Statesman article here: Austin Ventures to get human rights honor

Of course, Austin Ventures also keeps busy spreading the venture capital around. Here are a few web-based investments that are rather interesting:

Bazaarvoice - User Generate Content
Convio - Helps non-profits use the internet strategically
Homeaway - Offers vacation rental listings on the internet
ON Networks - HD online based TV shows
Pluck - Next generation internet search, information presentation, and personalized content syndication
Spiceworks - Free IT management software for the SMB crowd
Sportvision - Innovative sports and entertainment marketing

Microsoft Bids for Yahoo - Google's Reaction(s)

So this is not new news, but Microsoft has put in a bid to buy Yahoo. The combined company would not, in my opinion, be able to overtake Google as the most powerful search property, but it would be nice to have another player a bit closer to Google's size/power.

Google doesn't seem to be too keen on the idea based on these articles:

Google says merger poses antitrust issues
Google finds Microsoft's Yahoo bid 'troubling'
Google: Microsoft buying Yahoo is bad for the Internet
Google offers to help Yahoo fight off Microsoft

And it looks like Yahoo may be keen on Google's way of thinking:

Yahoo may consider Google alliance

Who's Watching Who #21

Here's a Who's-Who of folks that have contacted us and/or checked-out the blog
and/or called to praise/complain, and/or any combination thereof over the past week:

Adidas - Sneakers and More - Worldwide
Book People - Independent Bookstore - Austin, TX
Geometric Group - transforming innovative ideas into successful autonomous businesses - NYC
Global Trade Information Services - international merchandise trade data - Worldwide
Macrovision - software and content management solutions - Nationwide
MJ Peterson Real Estate - NY

Veteran Visitors who came back for more (and more and more):
Crispin Porter + Bogusky - Ad Agency - Miami and Boulder
GSD&M Idea City - Ad Agency - Austin, TX
Neiman Group - Ad Agency - PA


Been to the blog but don't see your company on the list? Shoot me an email or post a comment. If you email us, make sure you send it from your company email account so that we know it is the real-deal. Let us know what you think and maybe share a bit of info. The ~worst~ that will happen is that you get a free link to your site. Not a bad trade for a bit of good SEO if you ask me. If you don't know what SEO is then please email me sooner rather than later.