Palm Pre Preacher

Got opinions? According to a recent PC World article, Palm is offering up a few Pre devices to "Real Reviewers" (aka "Key Influencers") in order to get some extra buzz. Deal includes a free Pre and 6-month data plan for just-the-right-reviewers. Ends May 8th. The original news was posted by Job Zilber - Palm's Online Communications Director at the Official Palm Blog.

The influencer premise has worked well for many launches. Jeff Bell, former Vice President of Global Marketing for Interactive Entertainment (now with NCT Ventures), used it successfully to promote its Xbox 360 console.

Jeff previously headed up the marketing department for the Jeep® brand and worked closely with BBDO Detroit creative to get the word out to an extended network of first, or early-adopters. These decision makers, recommenders and influencers carry weight (street-cred) in todays fast-paced world.

The iPhone is by far the most popular device used in our digital agency (Organic Inc.) -- almost exclusively in creative and darn-near it in engineering. The engagement managers are a mixed bunch - with most using Blackberry devices. I'm hoping to plant a seed in the trenches to see if the Pre will take hold. We might even get some Jeep brand apps for the unit - we'll see. Let the influencing begin.

New York Times Delivers

The Detroit Free Press is going digital, well sort of. They are cutting daily delivery of the paper to three days a week. The morning ritual of coffee and a newspaper is ruined. Irate customers are writing in declaring their loyal dog will be in a fix without a paper to retrieve.

Management at the Detroit Media Partnership are trying to shift to a digital delivery of the news. Unfortunately, even though our family is entrenched in the digital domain, the facto-o-the matter is that we still like the renewable resource of tactile paper. You can use it to train a puppy in the finer matters and it can be split into sections - comics to the kids, sports to dad, and lifestyle to the wife. I'm not going to buy a Kindle 2 device for everyone. We only have one computer and that my Freep-friends is the dilemma.

An ad posted recently that caught my eye. The New York Times must have a local zip-code driven targeted advertisement in the Free Press hinterland. The Free Press has been trying to keep loyal readers from defecting to the Oakland Press with an option of mail delivery. It worked for my uncle, but came too late for my family. We already switched allegiances to the Oakland Press (even though its parent company has filed for chapter 11 protection). Now the NYT is advertising daily delivery for $3.35 a week. I know the digital age is here ... but I still want ink on my fingers.