BigEastClubHouse.com chooses Scratch Writing

BigEastClubHouse.com (www.BigEastClubHouse.com) selects Scratch Writing, Inc. to design and develop a web magazine focused on the Division I men's football and basketball programs in the Big East collegiate athletics conference.

"We are excited about this opportunity to develop a web presence for what looks to be a fun, unique sports site dedicated to the Big East conference," said Matthew J. De Reno, president of Scratch Writing. "Not only will we have a hand in development, but will produce content and provide creative direction and consulting as well. Sports, to say nothing of web magazine development, is right up our alley and we aim to make this site a fantastic success."

BigEastClubHouse.com will be powered by the Joomla content management system and is slated to be live for the upcoming 2009 Big East Football season.

CoolFilmz is relaunched...

Scratch Writing is pleased to announced our movie review site CoolFilmz has been relaunched. There are a number of new features including forums and other stuff. Anyway, it has been a while since the Beagle has posted here. There was a time I was thinking of dumping this blog. But, the Beagle continues. I think of something to throw on here in due time.

Vince is the world's greatest salesman

My favorite lines...

"Stop living a boring life..."
"You're going to love my nuts..."

Thoughts on Pay Per Click Advertising (Pros and Cons)

Is it time for "Pay for Time" Advertising?

Okay, I am not harping on Pay Per Click advertising: it is what it is. However, it sure takes a lot of hits to get any sort of meaningful money out it. Now, that being said, it seems more wholly odd that when you compare this form of web advertising to say, a bill board driving down the street, something you can't simply click but only look at, it makes you wonder.

The real value in the ad is that you see it. It becomes part of your subconscious in effect. You internalize the ad. You become familiar with it. You become comfortable with this brand. Brand awareness is built. Then, some day down the road, you make a purchase because you now are aware of the brand, you have confidence in it, you are familiar with it.

So the value to me is simply exposure. You can't click on a TV ad. You can't click on a billboard. You can't click on a print ad. Those more traditional forms of advertising are one-way. The results show up when you later make a purchase of that product at some point.

Now think of the web model. Point Per Click advertisers pay a couple bucks on thousands of clicks (although the rates do vary based on the advertiser). So you are building brand exposure for a product and only being remunerated if the ad is clicked on. Hmm. Clicking on the ad is almost immaterial. The brand is being built and the web site is not being compensated for that at all.

It is my opinion that very rarely does a customer have the inclination to see a banner ad and go "Okay, I should click on that. Go to that site and buy something." Oftentimes, they will go to that site later independently of your ad, by either typing in the domain directly or doing a Google on it. All of this results in zero for revenue for the site that originally displayed the ad.

Now that being said, It is fair to mention what I really like about Point Per Click advertising: contextual ads. When you are a one man show, it would be very time consuming to constantly update ads and seek out new advertisers and matching advertisers with the appropriate products. So, I do like the contextual ad displays.

Still, it would seem, the more desirable model for a site owner would follow a more traditional arrangement. Charge the advertiser a certain amount to run an ad for a month - no clicks, no click thorough. Charge them for the time.

GEICO pisses me off...

I recently called GEICO about my policy. I wanted to know what my coverage was in terms of a deductible. The girl on the phone asked if there was a reason I was inquiring. I said I hit a tree with my car. She asked a few other probing questions and the next thing I know is I am transferred to claims. Now I have a claim, even though I am not filing for any charges.

However, they are now busting my hump about getting in touch with the people whose tree (rather shrub tree) I hit. They are my neighbor. We worked it out. The damage to my Beagle mobile's bumper was minimal. I fixed it myself for far under my deductible. I pledged to buy a tree for them come spring.

However, now I am being told I am not cooperating with the claim, for which I never opened.

The point is I felt betrayed by the girl I initially spoke with on the phone. She should have made it clear that be sharing such information I was initiating a claim. That is not what I was calling for nor is it what I was requesting; so she mislead me. How can I continue to do business with a company that does that. I am not trying to be difficult. However, something about that experience really rubs me the wrong way.

Is the CEO the best spokesperson in today's times?

I don't know about you, but is the CEO a good choice to wax poetic about the merits of a 3G network?

Blago is full of it...

Gov. Rod Blagojevich seems to determined to drag out the inevitable - his impeachment and forced removal from office. I would have to say that yes one is innocent until proven guilty but this man should at least salvage what he can of his dignity and step down.

The Beagle will concede that generally his conversations, if kept quiet or simply were carried out non-verbally, then there really is nothing dramatically shocking that took place. After all, how many deals get done in Washington or other levels of Government with benign conversations such as:

"Yes, I will consider appointing your man... Ah, you know my wife is interested in running the Board for so and so and I understand you know a few people over there... I would appreciate any good words you could put in for her (wink, wink)."

A conversation like that is probably not illegal. However, if you put in terms of "What the F are you going to give me if I give you this f'ing Senate seat..." Well, you probably are looking at impeachment. Bye Bye Blago.

--The Beagle has barked