Jokes about deaf people? No! The Holocaust? Gasp! Feminine hygiene and incest? Say it ain’t so!

It would appear the folks at Microsoft failed to do their research before signing on to a much hailed sponsorship of a Family Guy variety show. The tech behemoth behind the newly launched Windows 7 yanked the plug on the deal upon seeing the content and realizing the nature of the show’s jokes didn’t quite “fit with the Windows brand.”

Now, we realize the tech geeks over at Microsoft have been busy launching a new operating system and making a series of embarrassingly awkward videos. But they’re not exactly living under a rock. Family Guy is well-known for its specific brand of crude humor attacking dysfunctional Americana. And it has been on the air for 10 years, give or take.

Somewhere, Stewie is chuckling endlessly.

Honda and Ford have been at the forefront of the social media marketing shift lately, proving that the auto industry—albeit struggling—has its finger on the pulse.

Case in point: Honda’s ‘Social Experiment’ recently netted 2 million Facebook fans. This cross-platform push urged people to join as fans and also to learn how they are connected to other owners, friends, and fans around the world. It would appear that “Everybody Knows Somebody Who Loves a Honda,” but the real question is: will it sell more cars?

And let’s not forget Ford’s Fiesta Movement. This grassroots social media campaign gave 100 social “agents” the keys to the new Fiesta model and encouraged their feedback through blogs, Twitter, video and events. All without spending a dime on traditional media.

While both Honda and Ford have turned out impressive numbers, the jury is still out on what this will mean for the revival of the auto industry. Perhaps the more important implication here is the extent to which social media is overtaking traditional ad dollars and making more sense when it comes to brand marketing.

How do you sum up college in 140 characters or less?

Would-be journalists at Griffith University in Australia could tell us. The academic institution just made Twitter education part of the mandatory courseload.

“Some students’ tweets are not as in depth as you might like. But I don’t know if getting them to write an essay is any more beneficial,” said Jacqui Ewart, senior lecturer at the university.

Let the Tweducation begin!

Attention, Finns! Broadband is now a legal right. In a landmark case, the Finnish government became the first country worldwide to sign a law dictating that every citizen has a legal right to a broadband connection.

In other news, the Federal Court in Australia has recently decided that individual judges may decide (on a case by case basis) if they will allow Twitter coverage in their courtrooms.

And, not to be outdone, our very own CIA has just invested in a social media monitoring firm. The agency plans to use technology to monitor International intelligence shared in public channels to get an early edge on what’s being communicated by influencers.

Remember the one where Mike installed a pay phone inside the Brady house to teach the kids about fiscal responsibility? My, how times have changed.

Well, forget Crisco and Carol Brady—Florence Henderson is a woman of the modern age. Or so she’s selling.

Her just-launched FloH Club is a tech-support hot line for older adults who want to become more comfortable with the whole world wide web thingy. The plans and services range from $25 to up to $250 for an entire year.



“…A proficient text-messenger, Skyper and active member on Facebook, she wants to help others learn to do the same.”

Everyone knows that Florence Henderson is capable—shoot, the woman handled six kids with panache and made fried chicken like nobody’s business. What’s a little tech support?

Finally! It’s here. The rumors are true. EA Mobile gives new meaning to going on the road with your favorite band.



Congrats to our friends at EA Mobile. We had a great time collaborating on the trailer.

Rock on.

It’s starting to look like Halloween around the Asylum!

 

The Great Painted Pumpkin

An app that helps guys “get lucky” with 24 different types of women had Pepsi serving up a mea cola yesterday, but consumers aren’t buying it.

The app, released to promote Pepsi’s AMP energy drink, presents guys with 24 types of girls, including such clichés as “Rebound Girl,” “Women’s Studies Major,” “Cougar,” and “Twins.” The app assures guys that it will be a “roadmap to success with your favorite kinds of women,” lets them create “Brag Lists” of girls they’ve gotten lucky with, and even encourages them to flaunt their conquests via social networking.

Pepsi’s half-hearted apology has left many customers cold and even instigating a boycott of Pepsi goods.

Let’s hope the men out there are scoring with this app, because Pepsi sure isn’t.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave this week, you’ve most certainly heard of the Jim/Pam wedding on “The Office.” According to Philadelphia Daily News critic Ellen Gray, “Thought the hype had killed ‘The Office’ wedding for me. But I’m all choked up.”

So, how did they do it? Yes, everyone was über-excited to see Jim and Pam walk down the aisle, but many worried that the overexposure and massive media coverage would kill the special event. But with the help of social media, the Thursday night favorite managed to tug at the heartstrings of fans and critics alike.

Starting with Dwight’s Three Wolf Moon T-shirt and culminating in the charming-yet-ridiculous wedding dance set to Chris Brown’s Forever, “The Office” was like an hour long love letter to social media.

Read more about the spooftastic sitcom success here and here.

“Paranormal Activity” might just be the latest anti-blockbuster not coming to your city.

Taking a page from the Blair Witch playbook, DreamWorks and Paramount are taking a grass-roots approach to marketing their latest horror flick, relying heavily on the assumption that social networking will do the rest.

“Paranormal Activity” opened last week in very limited release (seven select cities), and also released an Internet trailer asking viewers to demand the movie come to their local cinema. The studio is not only hoping social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter will build buzz for the film, but are using feedback to determine where to screen next.

Read more about the marketing tactics here, here and here.