Comments on: Seth Godin Tries Out Brandjacking

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:57:17 +0000

Ryan, that was actually a really good point. I cant stand the garbage that Mahalo scrapes together with bots and says they are human made.

By: Pamela

Pamela — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:37:45 +0000

It’s Seth’s way of getting money and nothing but money. He just didn’t care to see if it has a good effect on the brand and the consumer as well.

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:09:19 +0000

I thought of this post, and the backlash Seth Godin received when he announced Brands In Public, while reading some posts about Google Sidewiki. I can’t help but think that Google’s new product is so much worse for ORM than Brands In Public ever could have been. And I wonder if Google will have the good sense to can 86 Sidewiki before the comment spam gets out of hand.

Apparently, it’s already being used to falsely label people as pedophiles and other unseemly things. Pretty short sighted of Google.

By: Sandeep Bali

Sandeep Bali — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:52:55 +0000

If someone else would have done this, it would probably not become such a big topic of discussion.. and if that person would have fixed it after this.. people would have rather said good things about him.

We must accept that Seth is just as humane.. and everyone wants to make money.. he did something which majority don’t agree with, and he fixed it. I guess we should let it go now.

He has really been very kind with his knowledge, and I am sure there are far more easier ways he would have made more money than by doing this hq thing.. i am not very sure if it was for money..

i still love Outspoken Media.. i still respect Seth Godin

By: Jim Rudnick

Jim Rudnick — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:03:41 +0000

Hmmm…bit late coming to this, but IMHO, this is a simple marketing tactic that will bring Seth $$$, at the expense of those who believe that they’re “now” playing the social media game. Big brands are late to that arena, and the $400 monthly is peanuts…so yes, I’d assume that there will be tons of same in a few months…..sigh…..wish I’d a thought of it myownself!

Jim

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:33:13 +0000

I would consider this YAPR–yet another protection racket–which it is of course, but there’s the added bonus that Seth pointed out above that he’s gotten love from a bunch of BIG brands. Aside from the fact that you have to opt-out (isn’t that sort of anti-permission-marketing?) I guess it’s not much different from other efforts to WalMartize the Web. In the long run it’s always good for people to finally come out from behind the well-crafted persona and reveal themselves.

By: Lorenz Lammens

Lorenz Lammens — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:42:22 +0000

I don’t see anything wrong with creating an aggregator. In fact, I think it could be very useful to the general public.

The issue is that the whole package is misleading. The big official looking logo, the fact that the naive surfer doesn’t immediately realize that this is in no way an official page, the fact that the opt-out for brands is hidden.

It all looks much more like a robbery than a service.

Yes, I am disappointed with this move of Seth Godin. If it was anybody else, I would just anger me as another money grabbing scheme – enough companies do that every day. But with Seth Godin this is more: he stands for delivering extraordinary value, that is the message he spreads every day.

The message and the brand seem very much separated.

By: sib

sib — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:41:43 +0000

Loved your post Lisa! I was one that honestly felt REALLY disappointed in Seth Godin for doing this. And, honestly have REALLY lost respect for him. Imagine that… here we have the Guru of “transparency and authenticity” shilling such an idea – and under some kind of lame auspice that it should somehow be perceived as an honorable endeavor. PAY HIM to control your own brand? Or even better yet, pay him to be able to push the “negative feedback” further down your “paid for” squidoo “lense”. Methinks not.

I would have made the same observations as you (probably more though because this sort of “duping” really undermines everything he claims to stand for…) — the only change I would maybe have made was in the title. I would have put something like: “SETH GODIN REINVENTS HIMSELF AS DON CORLEONE”.

Bwahaha!

By: Mike Gibbons

Mike Gibbons — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:06:39 +0000

I think Seth Godin makes a lot of people frustrated (with) & mad… at themselves

By: George Angus

George Angus — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:16:53 +0000

Hi Lisa,

Never been much of a Seth fan anyway (closed comments is arrogant and puts me off). This seals the deal.

He’ll never get a penny of mine…

George