Web .5

My friend ANP has inspired this post. Friday is my last day at my job and I've also been in the process of interviewing for new jobs and starting a brand new one on 8/27. One of the most fascinating trends, I've seen at a variety of companies across different industries is this bizarre sudden desire to create an "email strategy." It's almost as if corporations can't graps how to leverage Web 2.0 so they are going back to reinventing the wheel by leveraging their outdated email lists or renting them from elsewhere. When I have these conversations, I feel like I'm time travelling back to 1997 to talk about the World Wide Web and "viral." I find it insane that rather than invest in their brands through advertising, set upaffiliate marketing programs and test new marketing models such as social networks, companies are creating task forces and hiring people to send out some SPAM. How much unsolicited email are they opening themselves? Instead of creating new applications for facebook in their spare time, are they going into their filter and finding out how to send money to some desperate Nigerian? Are they interested in how to score Ambien without a doctor's prescription? Do they want to purchase a ProSun Bed? So, to all you crazy email marketers out there, here are some SPAM headlines that I might actually open. Now, try to get these through your legal department.

1. Home makeover and cleaning for free with no strings attached.
2. You have won a free no strings attached trip to Aruba.
3. You are fabulous and have been chosen to replace Jay Leno.
4. Your cat has been chosen as the new Fancy Feast spokescat.
5. We found the bracelet you lost 10 years ago.
6. I want to give you all of my money.