Stemato.com - Stephen Tompkins’ Blog

This morning I had my first look at the joint MSN-NBC Olympics videos on the web using Silverlight. I have to say, on first look, the video looks much better than any Flash video’s on the web. Pixelation was at a minimum and the it did not buffer for the 9 minutes I watched President Bush. Realizing my connection speed here at work is fast but still I was impressed with the quality.

I hope more online companies migrate to a platform with this style video. For now, I will just have to enjoy the limited videos that use Silverlight. Check this link out to see some of the material.

As the holidays approach, I wanted to talk about holiday cards. Most companies send out the obligatory card with holiday well wishes without using the opportunity to touch base (or whatever). I am definitely not saying you should be a pushy salesman with your holiday card, but by putting a little strategy and thought into your card you can give it a little virality. And a little virality goes a long way towards your bottom line and the company’s overall brand perception.

This video posted to YouTube shows a great example of thinking outside the box to extend a company’s visibility in a cluttered marketplace. Admittedly, this company was completely unknown to me until I saw this video. It was simply a great way to engage viewers, leave a positive impression, and stir up interest in their other work. Because of the video, I visited the website and browsed case studies and portfolio pieces. Standing out in this market is extremely important.

With the consumer B2B or otherwise being constantly bombarded with advertisements, a little positive mojo and creative thinking drastically increases a company’s chances of standing out.