[...] has graduated to the social media big leagues. Evolving their social media strategy from blogging efforts in ‘08, to full-fledged community sites in 09. Spear headed by Rick Clancy and Marcy Cohen, these [...]

[...] Last night, I had dinner with Sony Electronics President Stan Glasgow and Top Blogger, Rick Clhttp://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/07/02/how-sony-electronics-reaches-online-and-offline-with-b…Check fuel prices with out interactive map – icSeftonandWestLancsWorking in conjunction with [...]

I’d be curious to read a post about the BoingBoing/Violet Blue cluster-fuck. The BoingBoingers sure should have had better consultants or advice from their representatives (ICM I believe).

Have a good 4th!

To be quite honest, I mainly focus on in browser web, and a bit of mobile. I’ve never discussed, nor peered into set top boxes. Although someday, I’ll probably own one.

In fact, we’ve other analysts that cover that arena, it’s not in my coverage. I tend to go ‘deep’ into the web and esp social media.

With that in mind for me to discuss, debate, and take on every issue from a brand as large as Sony on this blog post would certainly be one of my larger posts.

I hope you understand that I keep my ’social media’ lens on as my main filter when I see the world, and this is a good reason why I didn’t see your perspective. (an area I don’t focus deeply on)

I’m always open to new ideas and challenges, but can you send me a specific link to the challenge you suggest? (the link above is the blog index, there are many posts) Allow me to take a deeper look into an area that I’m not familiar with.

Are we in agreement yet?

How can you promote usinig social media to help Earthquake victims in China, and yet not even address issues of Set Top Cop when discussing social media with one of the leading promoters of that ideaology?

You’re right, Sony is and has been plagued with many critiques about data, dongles, and DRM.

I am surprised that you’d make this call however.

The focus of this blog is NOT about that, it’s about how companies use the web to connect with customers. (see tagline)

Although it’s hard to find, I actually asked the President about this during dinner (as it relates to upcoming internet devices), and tweeted it in real time.

In summary: I ask/discuss/think about the tough questions, but reserve the right to keep my focus on this blog.

So, for you to suggest I’m not being objective has no grounding, as I wasn’t taking on the issues that you suggest.

I hope that this additional background information changes your mind. You can email me if you want to talk further.

I have to say that, while I understand your an analyst, not a journalist, clearly there is this middle ground where your readers, urr, fans, expect a critical perspective.

To not mention any issue relating to how Sony polices the Internet as a set-top-cop is an astounding silence.

http://uscpubd510.blogspot.com/

Especially given your last job, which wasn’t as beholden to corporate benefactors, I would at least expect you to address the question in a neutral “analyst” at least ask-the-question/address-the issue fashion.

1: I work in the S60 Ambassador Team. We’re responsible for engaging the community of rapid S60 (the operating system that runs on Nokia smartphones) fans and asking them to tell us about their offline word of mouth conversations concerning our platform. Each week we blog the best “report” and keep a running tally of the number of reports each Ambassador submits. The one with the most wins, usually a device and/or accessory of some kind.

More information here: http://ambassadors.s60.com/

And here: http://blogs.s60.com/consumed/

2: Nokia contracts a company called 1000 Heads to lead word of mouth for the Nseries (multimedia centric devices) lineup. They fly the top bloggers in the Nokia/S60 community to events, give them devices to try out and give them the ability to ask questions to the people responsible for creating said devices. The most memorable thing they did, for me at least, was fly out a handful of bloggers to attend the launch of the Nokia N82, our flagship 5 megapixel product with Xenon flash. My write up on that event is here: http://www.intomobile.com/2007/11/15/the-agony-and-the-sheer-ecstasy-that-was-the-nokia-n82-product-launch.html

More information here: http://www.womworld.com/nokia/

3: Nokia Conversations was started recently, my buddy Charlie Schick is a part of team responsible for it. It is basically a blog that collates through all the Nokia news on the net, and more importantly the reactions to the news, and then shares it with the entire community. There is also plenty of original content such as interviews with designers, employees, product managers, etc.

More information here: http://conversations.nokia.com

Bruce: I’m not attempting to insult Sony Ericsson, at all. Here in Europe (personally living in Finland) the top two phone manufactures are Nokia and Sony Ericsson. It seems wherever I find mobile enthusiasts there is always a sizable percentage who are incredibly loyal to Sony Ericsson. It is easy to see why, their devices are very attractive and their user interface has various design elements that are only now starting to appear in our software.

No one from Sony Ericsson is engaging these guys, which is a shame since the C905 is launching soon, their 8.1 megapixel camera phone with Xenon flash; an industry first.

It’s all about getting the market to want higher end devices, not just because the margins are fatter, but because when you have something in your pocket that gives you the internet, videos, a competent camera, GPS, music, etc., it changes your perception of what mobility means.

We all win from that.

Thanks for covering this, Jeremiah. It looks like a smart strategy of combining both online and offline listening & conversation with customers (which of course, every company should do, but interesting to see the chief blogger personally doing this).

So what’s Nokia doing in this space to use social media to enhance it’s phones?

In fact that may just very well be the reason why they [SE] said their Q2 numbers are not going to be as stellar as they were hoping due to low sales of their more expensive models.

Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idINL278989620080627

Shame, their devices are gorgeous and very capable.

Disclosure: I work for Nokia and these are my views, not that of my employer. Personally I love competition because it makes us work harder and there is nothing that excites me more than the mobile space.