By way of introduction, the "Top Web Marketer" in our headline is Joe Jaffe. Joe happens to be the real deal. He's Founder and President of the new media mashup consultancy, Crayon. He’s a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School. He’s a renowned consultant and sought-after speaker with this whole “conversational marketing” thing. Bottom line: he’s the genuine article, a passionate and true voice in New Media. Let’s put it this way, he's a diamond in the rough of all the knuckleheads that compose the bloggererati.

That said ironically, in this case, it also happens that he's does a fine job of articulating why they're all wrong. In defending the MWW-Nikon D80 Blogger Campaign yesterday, he inadvertently made a rather strong case against blogola. Yikes! Exactly the opposite of what he had hoped to accomplish, I'm afraid.

Bottom line: For marketers to influence the blogosphere, they absolutely need to “incentify” and bond with this amorphous metaverse. Blogola is an important strategy. Actually, Web Marketers are not going to give this one up without a fight. If they lose this... so also likely goes the business case for Web Marketing, period.

Below are excerpts of a podcast done by Joe for "Across the Sound." We tried to boil it down to key quotes. Unfortunately, "it’s a loaner but I’ll be damned if I give it back” and “not many strings attached,” etc., ended up on our cutting room floor.

Now, one more moment before we get to Joe's comments. Here are a few quick definitions for reference:

• Whore: A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.
  
• Bribe: Something, such as money or a favor, offered or given to a person in a position of trust to influence that person's views or conduct.
  
• Blogola: The bribing of Web bloggers, to promote product coverage and various other related social-media "conversations".
  
• Campaign: An operation or series of operations energetically pursued to accomplish a purpose: an advertising campaign for a new product.

KEY QUOTES: Jeff Jaffe on the Nikon Blogger Campaign

Audio Clip #1

“I took a position to maybe go a little bit over the top to talk it up a little more."

"I chose to talk it up... I want others to be aware of these campaigns and marketers to be encouraged to invest in these campaigns.”

“No matter what this cost to Nikon, it is money well spent in terms of the opportunity costs... the relative comparison of being able to buy just one print ad that murders an innocent tree.”

“Now they’re putting their product where our mouths are so to speak and tapping into influencers.”

Audio Clip #2

“I think it’s a really successful campaign! I love how they’ve tapped into the blogosphere and the influencers.”

"I do not believe that this is manipulation"

“If there is a reciprocity or a quid pro quo or tacit understanding of wanting to pay them back for their kindness, that’s a different conversation and I don’t know if it’s manipulation.”

Audio Clip #3

“I think I’ve done more than enough to justify their investment based on the fact that I’m talking about it.”

Audio Clip #4

“The only reason why I am talking it up a little bit more is because if I didn’t, many of you wouldn’t even know about this program.”

“The idea is not to create a big splash but to plant a bunch of seeds and nurture that and see what comes up.”

“I am overdoing it a little bit just so I can create that conversation.”

“There are many bloggers especially the A-Lister bloggers that would actually do the opposite of what I am saying; they would actually keep quiet, they will deliberately keep quiet based on the fact that they don’t want to be seen as selling out.”

Audio Clip #5

“Yes there is a degree of reciprocity, why the hell wouldn’t we want to pay for it, why wouldn't we want to give something back if someone does something nice for us?”

FINAL NOTE

Joe,

Excuse me... as you are someone who accepted the MWW-Nikon “bribe;” one who fully and enthusiastically participates in their program; and one who advocates similar programs as a part of his own business and livelihood... I totally understand.

Fact is most reporters, e.g. NYT, WSJ, BusinessWeek, Forbes, etc. , can't even accept a free lunch anymore because of new ethics guidelines. The era of wining, dining and bribing reporters is long over. So the PR industry has now leveled its sites on the horde of unprofessional bloggers; And you are their enthusiastic champion.

Anyway, selling out is nothing new. What ever the medium, this stuff is always in the end ferreted out. Sorry but, no matter how you try to spin it Joe, this kind of shit will NEVER escape the taint of the perception of impropriety. It just won’t. It's dirty.

Sincerely,

- Amanda

Lessons from MWW-Nikon D80 Blogger Program

Well, every so often, a story comes along that really strikes a nerve here. Some things strum the “Strumpette” brand like she was meant to be. See, like PR, a strumpet manipulates peoples’ beliefs and emotions... and for a couple bucks more, we’ll dance this Thursday’s Rotary Club luncheon at the Dangle Lounge. For the right amount of money, we can do tricks with our tongues that would have you... well... gladly trade your eternal soul for a minute more of unadulterated sweet nothings. Don’t stop... PLEEEEEZE DON’T STOP! Now that’s PR.

A little too ethereal for ya? I understand. Here: I once worked for a total empty suit, leisure no less. But truth be known, Pete was an unbelievable publicist, a genuine media wizard. The guy could place a story about your grandma’s corn in the Wall Street Journal, no lie. How did he do it? Well, he had amassed a personal rolodex too heavy to carry for one. But most importantly, he had built up "relationships". He was always doing favors: impossible dinner reservations? Go to Pete; tickets to sold-out sporting events and concerts? Go to Pete; the occasional trinket for a wife or gumar? You could count on Pete. He was a man of seemingly infinite connections and resources whose total discretion was absolute. Frankly, it was a harmless arrangement, B-to-B greasing the skids some, is all. Excuse me but that's how business works. Right?

Well, that's what we all thought ‘til Pete got busted for giving expensive cameras to a few key reporters. Then Pete’s glorious ride abruptly ended. As a result of the perception of impropriety, most/all of his client’s key trade pubs labeled him persona non grata. In short order, he was washed up and swept out. Sad really. Some would say that he was just being nice and that the media with its patrician views totally overreacted. It was only a little payola, so what?!

... And that still happens today. Just a few days ago this supposed “scandal” broke: “Richard Johnson, editor of Page Six and one of the most powerful gossip columnists in the media world, has admitted in today's New York Post to accepting a cash payment from New York restaurateur Nello Balan. Balan has been regularly mentioned in Page Six. The one allegation Page Six admitted to was that of a $1,000 cash gift in 1997. The Post's editor in chief admits the bribe was unethical.” Apparently. Post editor in chief Col Allan said, "[Johnson] was reprimanded, and policies were adopted that render such ethical lapses completely unacceptable."

Silly. Our adherences to standards like this are down right anti business. Bribes in 3rd-World countries are standard practice. Hello! It's no big deal.

Well fortunately, the Internet is still pristine and uncorrupted by anti business bias or government intervention. Sure, the Microsoft/Edelman laptop giveaway was a total disaster. But that’s really due to mismanagement and a misunderstanding of Internet culture. Thank God for PR agencies like the MWW Group and their ability to maneuver unencumbered by these wrongheaded ethical prejudgments.