As Yahoo continues its extensive renovation of the frontpage, it's relying on random users for advice and input for the design and layout. The goal is to create a customizable and personal front page for every visitor to Yahoo's homepage.

In BBC's  article, Tapan Bhat, Yahoo's senior vice president, said that most users want a simplified hompage, but they don't want to do the work necessary for customization. He implies that average users can't maninpulate vast amounts of data at once.

That's where optimization editors, filters and dashboards come in. In-house news editors, content-optimization engines and third party program developers will offer suggestions to "aide" the chosen users to contribute their design input. The user-testing phase is expected to span a few months, and the ideal finished product will resemble more of homepage on a social network,rather than a search engine.

 One of the most revealing quotes from the BBC article was Mr Bhat's line about the potential for raising advertising revenue. 

[The] revamp will also help it get more money out of the home page. Tightly tuned content on personal pages would help those efforts. What advertisers want is attention, he said. They want your attention in context.

 The final line of that quote is the most crucial part, and it reflects almost every  trend we've seen in advertising, not just online, but across all media. It's much easier for Yahoo to pitch to an advertiser if they can zero in on a specific area of a page that will lure the desired market. Under the current model, niche advertisers are in a crapshoot if they want to throw down the big dollars for a homepage, but that could all change once Yahoo becomes more dynamic, they can pitch specific markets for potential advertisers to target.

Special surprises greeted thousands of Atlanta commuters during their drive down I-75, yesterday. If they took the time to observe any of the billboards, they may have noticed the Arby's logo on large helium balloons  floating above faces of local and national celebrities (to imply the were "Thinking Arbys"-as the logo says).

The guerilla advertising stunt  made the rounds on adrants so it tempted me to take a deeper look at the firm behind the stunt- Fletcher Martin. On first glance,the company's motto flashed across the screen: It doesn't matter how well you say the wrong thing

A quick read over  the About us section made me feel like I was combing through the first chapter of a self-help book. Fletcher Martin's view on advertising:

"We're not saying advertising is broken, but the system it operates in currently leaves a lot to be desired.Which is why we took a long look in the mirror and at our industry and analyzed the problems we saw recurring over-and-over again. (how's that for redundancy?) We cant fix our industry, but we can at least fix ourselves.

Well, I wasn't too impressed by the Dr. Phil jargon they spewed in the intro, but I proceeded to research the specific details of their strategies, and I discovered some simple but worthy insights.

The last ten years have forever changed the advertising landscape. The typical advertising formula no longer works. Consumers are too savvy to believe that your product is "World famous" just because you say so. They go online. They scour message boards. They find the truth. The power dynamic has shifted. Consumers go looking for what they want. And you have to be ready to answer the call.

Obviously, there are many different areas where their strategies could and should incorporate SEO, but Fletcher-Martin never specifically cites it as one of their methods.

Fletcher-Martin uses results-based fees for their clients. Obviously, there's some form of scale they must use to determine  the amount each client "achieves", compared to their former ad agency. A list of their clients  include Carvel ice cream, Learjet,Northwest airlines,Twa,Arbys,Sonic drive-ins,GE, and Energizer.

Personally, I consider the Sonic TV ads to be some of the most annoying  I've ever seen, and the Arby's TV ads are slightly less annoying. Perhaps those reasons, along with to the poor feedback from their online and print ads.one of the main reasons Arby's resorted to Fletcher-Martin and the balloon invasion.

Overall, I think Fletcher-Martin has some solid principals and unique approaches to marketing, we'll just have to see how those Atlanta drivers respond, and what Arby will resort to for their next stunt.

Comcast's sports channel- Versus- will attempt to blend satire and sports with, "Sports Soup". Comcast's latest addition reflects ESPN efforts to produce a lineup of sub-genres from the world of sports.

Sports Soup shares the same producers as E! TV's "The Soup" (formerly known as Talk Soup). It debuts Oct. 14 and will air in 30-minute segments at 10 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday nights

Versus chose comedian Matt Iseman as the host. I've never heard of him, but his resume includes guest spots on a variety of network programs, including a few appearances on the Drew Carey Show and Comedy Central's premium blend. (On an interesting side-note, he graduated with honors from Princeton and has an M.D. from Columbia, , but quit his work in the medical field to pursue an acting career) 

(Image from www.versus.com/sportssoup)

In his interview with hollywoodreporter, Iseman claimed:

This will be the Chad Johnson of sports shows -- a little obnoxious, usually hilarious and so fascinating that you just won't be able to take your eyes off it because you have to see what happens next, said Matt Iseman.

I can't help but wonder why Iseman didn't bust out a reference to Johnson's Narcissistic and new last name, Ocho Cinco, which he legally changed prior to this season. Then again, the player formerly known as Chad Johnson still hasn't changed his last name on his own website or his jersey, due to contract obligations with Reebok.

The site says that Iseman will derive his comedy material from every realm of the sports world, from pre-game shows, to post-game interviews and off-field drama. It also promises that no sport is off limits, and his colorful commentary will jab at more than just football,baseball and basketball, but also mixed martial arts and any sport with worthy footage. Marc Fein, Executive Vice President of Programming Production and Business Operations for Versus described the inspiration for the show

As versus continues to grow and evolve, it’s an important initiative for the network to try out new, original programming that will resonate with our viewers and attract new ones. Sports Soup will offer viewers an undistorted glimpse into sports. It’s our way of providing a voice to sports fans as the show will say what we are all thinking but no one is actually saying, until now. That’s refreshing.

 This sports' show format is long overdue, and I can only imagine the parodies and comments Iseman could have created after memorable football  press conferences such as Mike Gundy's tirade at Oklahoma State or Terrell Owens crying scene after the Cowboys' playoff loss, or Jim Mora's rant about the Colts' chances of making the playoffs.

As an avid sports fan, I can't wait for Oct. 14 and I hope Sports Soup is tasty enough for at least a few seasons.

So "What's the deal with Microsoft?"
After a disappointing series of ads featuring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, the "Windows.Life without walls" campaign is ditching the comedy legend and entering its second phase.

The first three ads starring Seinfeld were criticized for their ambiguous nature. As a result, the campaign is morphing to a style that  everyday users who accentuate their natural talents with the help of Microsoft's products. One of the main challenges Windows faces is repairing its image, which has been essentially hijacked by Apple's "Get a Mac" ad series. David Webster, general manager for brand marketing at Microsoft, explained the identity dilemma in the New York Times' article.

 Apple executives have been using a lot of their money to de-position our brand and tell people what we stand for...they’ve made a caricature out of the PC, he added, which was unacceptable because you always want to own your own story...campaign illustrates a strong desire among Microsoft managers to take back that narrative, Mr. Webster said, and have a conversation about the real PC.

The irony surrounding the first phase of the campaign is that Windows distorted its image even further,instead of improving it.  Microsoft's situation reminds me of a few points I read in Allen P. Adamson's book, Branddigital.  In the intro, he lays out a couple of  strategies and principles regarding branding.

• Find a relevantly different way to make life more convenient for consumers,and they'll seek you out.The best brands are based on powerful, yet simple consumer insights

   Apple has dominated Microsoft in this regard, especially in the aspect of simplicity. During the past five years, Apple's products such as the Ipod and Iphone helped it earn the reputation as the user-friendly brand, while Microsoft was viewed as the outdated,arrogant corporation that was past its prime.

• One of the only sustainable competitive advantages a brand organization has is getting a terrific insight about its customers that it can call its own.

 This relates to the earlier quote by David Webster, where he feels like Apple has hijacked Microsoft's identity. If Microsoft loses its own identity, it certainly can't  find any unique way to connect with its user base.

 To reconnect and re-assure Windows users, Microsoft's next phase of ads must combine a message of quality and simplicity in a straightforward manner that doesn't leave the viewers scratching their heads about unclear metaphors. If you refer back to my Aug. 21 post, you'll see why I'm not surprised by the failure of the the Seinfeld/Gates tandem.

Google and T-Mobile will reveal the Android phone in a joint press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Wired.com's blog revealed an image of the Dream phone, which is slated to hit stores about one month later, on Oct. 23.

(Image from blog.wired.com)

On first glance, it has the same design as the sidekick, with the slideout keyboard. Personally, I would prefer that design to my Iphone, which can be frustrating to type on. Google and T-Mobile boast that the Android's most appealing feature is the Android software that's designed for easier mobile web browsing.

There's no indication of the phone's size, but we'll obviously get a better idea of that next Tuesday.

Just when you thought the future for Newspapers couldn't look any bleaker,paidcontent.org warns of darker clouds on the horizon for anyone in the print media. TV and Radio's ad growth rate has doubled that of Newspapers since 2002

According to media analyst Borrell Associates, this is due to the industry-wide reliance on the wrong type of ad formats.

Standard-format ads - banners, pop-ups, tiles and classified listings... will comprise 50.6 percent of all local online spending in 2008 and only 13.4 percent in 2013.From 2002 to the end of this year, local newspaper sites’ growth rate is expected to have amounted to 33.5 percent gains, compounded annually. Local TV and radio station sites, during this same period, are projected to have grown 67.2 percent and 69.9 percent on that same basis

As a former member of the print media, I can personally vouch for the bleak future of their role in classified advertising. Sites such as Ebay,Craigslist and Yahoo's freecycle are just a few of the many choices consumers have when searching for products or employment. To minimize the impact, several major publishers- Gannett, Knight Ridder,McClatchy and Tribune, have partnered with careerbuilder.com, where many begin their job search. (Careerbuilder also has an agreement with Facebook)

What are the solutions for newspapers? Well, if you can't beat them, join them. For example, Brevard County's daily newspaper, Florida Today supplements its online articles with video reports. The reports are preceded by brief ads from local companies. Florida Today essentially conceded to the fact that most American's favor the 30-second clip compared to a three-column,in-depth feature story.

Marriage counselors may have a new feud to solve when couples come calling for help - Blackberry battles in the bedroom. Sheraton Hotel's survey  of 6,500 traveling executives revealed that 35% of Blackberry users preferred the device to their spouse.

The survey also revealed:

• 87% of those polled admitted that they bring their blackberry to bed.
• 84% check their emails before they go to sleep
• 80% check their email once they wake up

It can actually ruin relationships, said Dr. Susan Bartell, a psychologist and relationship expert. Bartell said couples should be interfacing more, but with each other.People are so focused on their PDAs, they're not focusing on what might be going wrong in their relationships.

Now, I have three questions about this survey-

• How long will it be until this addiction is given a funny label by the American Psychological Association?
• Why was Sheraton Hotels asking questions that were better suited for a Jerry Springer episode?
• How is Sheraton adjusting their .rooms and services in response to the results?

Perhaps Cialis, Levitra and Viagra will respond by adding a few extra ingredients to their pills tooverride symptoms of BA- Blackberry Addiction. Of course, in a survey such as this, it's impossible to determine the sincerity of each answer, but the mere fact that the figure was higher than 10% is a good indication that mobile devices have significantly altered our daily routines. 

Personally, I think the "survey" was just Sheraton's ploy to  get some free press.

I've always admired reformers, and R. Preston McAfee is trying to change the cost of a college education, at least at the textbook level.

For those of us braved it through college, we'll never forget the final tab for those textbooks. By the time you added up your core curriculum,elective and major books, the final total could reach wel into the $500-600 range. McAfee,an economics professor a Cal-Tech, is taking a new approach to publishing his textbooks. Citing severe overpricing by publishers, he decided to publish his intro to economics book online, with free access.(The books is still available in hard copy,starting at $19.95 per copy.)In the Sept. 15 New York Times article, he said

This market is not working very well - except for the shareholders in the textbook publishers, he said. We have lots of knowledge, but we are not getting it out.

In the L.A. Times, he said

I was disappointed in the uptake," McAfee said recently at an outdoor campus cafe. "But I couldn't continue assigning idiotic books that are starting to break $200....I'm a right-wing economist, so they can't call me a communist.Publishers have broken an implicit contract with academics, in which we gave our time and they weren't too greedy

  McAfee's online textbook is being used at Harvard, Claremont-McKenna and  a few other colleges. His approach, while noble, is unlikely to be followed by many more professors. According to the same article, he turned down approximately $100,000 to turn the rights over to a commercial publisher. In a perfect world, his model would be followed,  but most universities are embedded into the publishing contracts, it's unlikely that we'll see a drastic overhaul anytime soon.

As prices skyrocket from the gas pump to the grocery store, many families are looking to save anyway they can, and this is one way for students to save some extra cash for those college "neccesities" .

The funny thing is, McAfee's generous act created more positive press for him than any of his typical publications would have ever generated. He effectively created his own mini-economic model that thousands of professors will evaluate and discuss with their co-workers and students.

A passionate voter puts their money where their vote is, and Cafepress.com is the perfect example.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the site, Cafepress sells t-shirts,hats and merchandise that is designed by registered users. Some of the most popular apparrel is politically-based, and the sales surge Cafepess enjoys each election season inspired the Cafepress Meter, which tracks sales according to each candidate.

In reflection of the Republican party's recent resurgence, the demand for McCain and Palin products surged 20% in one week, while Obama's numbers, have fallen 20%. These number's directly reflect the latest trends in the national polls, which have the two candidates neck-and-neck.

Cafepress' stats that if you look beyond traditional methods of tracking, you might find more precise data. One quote from a New York Times' article illustrates my point:

 In 2004, you could really tell Bush was running against himself because most of the political designs were either pro- or anti-Bush, rather than focusing on the Democratic contender John Kerry. And today, 71 percent of Obamacentric designs are positive (as opposed to 29 percent negative), a number that dips to 64 percent for McCain - a kind of do-it-yourself favorability rating from the creative underclass.

Data such as Cafepress's can serve as valuable insight for political aides and advisers, who are trying to gauge public opinion and tweak the image of their respective candidate. John Kerry's campaign clearly lacked the identity and charisma that Barack Obama has boasted throughout the year. Initially, John McCain's campaign suffered from the same lack of energy, but as the recent data illustrates, the addition of Sarah Palin to his ticket has produced a significant buzz.

 In response to the growing need for data storage space, Google is planning to send  data center barges seven miles offshore (considered international waters), to  form its own "waterworld" of data.

(Altered Image courtesy of Drew Anema)

Besides the extra space, the plan could also benefit Google in two other ways-

• Reduce energy consumption
• Eliminate property taxes

Apparently, the barges will be Eco-friendly.Google claims each barge will be powered by hydraulic energy from wave power. The timesonline.uk provided a graphic and Google's explanation of the science behind the energy conversion.

In the patent application seen by The Times, Google writes: Computing centres are located on a ship or ships, anchored in a water body from which energy from natural motion of the water may be captured, and turned into electricity and/or pumping power for cooling pumps to carry heat away.

As outlandish as the scheme may sound, it may become a viable alternative for other companies searching for data storage solutions. The success of Ocarina, which specializes is data consolidation, is one of many indications that data hosting companies are becoming increasingly desperate for affordable and efficient space to house servers.

The prospect of offshore data centers raises a whole host of other questions, such as:

• How much manpower will be required to secure the servers?
• Will the U.S. government, or UN, attempt to intervene or regulate with the plan?
•  What other methods might Google use to allocate server space?

 Keep an eye out for other companies who may follow suit and head to the seas.

A new bridge has formed between the online video game community and social networks, known as Raptr, . Simply put, it's software that instantly updates your social network status to indicate which game and console you're playing.

I.E.- Instead of reading, "Matt is heading to the grocery store", on Facebook, friends will notice "Matt is playing Madden 09"- Which may prompt them the challenge me to a one-on-one showdown between my beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the team of their choice.

Created by Dennis Fong, Raptr is a dream come true for PS3,Xbox 360 and Wii, because it lures gamers  back to their consoles. Without Raptr, gamers were notified of online friends  if they were ALSO playing on their gaming system, but Raptr bridges the crucial gap when gamers are in front of their PC, and not the living room TV.

Competitors include Rupture, Playfire and GamerDNA, but as the Forbes article points out, Raptr's advantage,  is its ability to track gamer's activities on multiple consoles and multiple networks.

 Fong co-founded popular gaming instant messenging service Xfire, which was bought by Viacom (nyse: VIA - news - people ) for $102 million in 2006...The real test though for Fong will be squeezing money out of Raptr....The model will, of course, be all about advertising. What he thinks will make a difference: who will come to play. He has an answer for that, too: "We know from Xfire that this can be a very successful business model because of the demographics we capture: the 13- to 35-year-old males who are highly sought-after by advertisers."

I appreciate the value of Fong's concept, but I also wonder where the advertisements will be placed, to avoid clutter. I haven't signed up for the service yet for one simple reason: I don't own any of the three consoles, but I will try to test it out on my friend's consoles this week, and I'll give you a full review once I've taken the complete tour.