Netflix Off to a Rough Start in Canada

Netflix traveled to Toronto last Wednesday to announce their launch of video streaming services to the Canadian public. Problem was they also paid "extras"  to speak to media as if they were random people from the street - mothers, tech-geeks, students, etc. News of the ploy leaked through Twitter and now Netflix has some serious mending to do on their image. 

The VP of Corporate Communications for Netflix has denied knowledge of the ploy, but recovered flyers from the event clearly state “Extras are to look really excited, particularly if asked by media to do any interviews about the prospect of Netflix in Canada.”

Netflix already had its work cut out entering the market up against Canada's established mail order/stream video service, Zip.Ca. Hype fabrication at the Canadian Netflix launch event will have landed a negative blow to consumer trust and brand image. The Canadian version of the service will not include physical DVD rental, but will focus on streaming content. The current titles available for Netflix streaming tend to be older releases, adding one more challenge selling their service to our neighbors in the north.

5th Annual PDX Pirate Fest - Not for the Lily-Livered!

2007 Photo by Hova Najarian

Grab your eye patch, peg leg and your mateys and make your way to Cathedral Park in St. Johns this Saturday and Sunday for the 5th Annual Portland Pirate Festival. 

Music, dancing, performance, markets and food stalls will take over Cathedral Park and turn it into a bustling dock-side village. The festival is filled with family activities including games, contests and interactions with live entertainers. Look out for jugglers, fire performers, dancers and the occasional duel. It's also the perfect excuse for you to dress up in the high seas finest, drink some beer and talk like a pirate for the weekend!

2007 photo by Byron Dazey

The Pirate Festival last year broke the Guiness World record for most pirates gathered at 1,670 people! Over the course of the year the record was lost 4 times over, but Portland wants it back. Be a part of history and pre-register on the world record page.

Click HERE for a map and schedule for the weekend. Gates are open from 10am-10pm on Saturday and 10am-6pm on Sunday. Tickets are $12 advance, $15 at the door. 

Aye, me hearties, let us meet under the St. Johns Bridge to celebrate the sweet trade with a mug of grog!

YouTube's Booming Business: Display Ads

You never know what you're going to get when you click on a link to YouTube. It could be a cat spinning around on a ceiling fan, last night's big reality TV moment or a brilliant ad campaign. Recently my friend, and fellow Campbell Consulting colleague, Adrianne, shared the following link to a hilariously clever ad that uses YouTube brilliantly:

Anthony Ha from MediaBeat points out that this isn't the first ad to use interactive humor, but YouTube hasn't partnered on many big/memorable ad campaigns. The beauty of the Tipp-Ex ad shows how YouTube can be utilized in unique and interestingly interactive ways - something necessary for our fast-paced, video saturated culture. Although online advertising revenue is still catching up to print, readership on sights like NYTimes.com is 10 times that of its print predecessor, a guarantee that more time and money will pour into online advert development in the coming years.

Celebrate your Labor Day with Little Woody!

There have been many beer festivals in Oregon this summer, but if you only go to one - or just one more - make it The Little Woody in Bend, Oregon this Labor Day weekend. 

The Little Woody is a celebration of Pacific Northwest craft beers and their brewers. The beers showcased in The Little Woody embrace ancient beer brewing techniques that have been adapted by American craft brewers; featuring beers aged in wine barrels, whiskey barrels and oak barrels, which uniquely flavors and intensifies the beers. The festival is for beer lovers and connoisseurs alike. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the brewmasters, sample all of the excellent barrel-aged beers from local breweries, and connect with fellow brew fanatics. In addition to beer, this year’s Little Woody will also include a special selection of bourbons to sample.

The Little Woody will take place Labor Day Weekend, September 3 from 5pm-10pm and September 4 from 12pm-10pm on the lawn of the Des Chutes Historical Museum in Downtown Bend. Tickets are available on BendTicket.com with portion of the proceeds being donated to the Des Chutes Historical Society. Basic admission to the event is $6. A tasting package will also be available, which includes a commemorative glass and tasting tickets.
For more information please contact info@layitoutevents.com