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Jackie Huba

November 28, 2005

Millie, the 80-year-old videoblogger

Picture_2_1It's not just young whippersnappers creating sophisticated content for the web.

There's also Millie Garfield, 80-year old blogger and mother of uber-blogger Steve Garfield. She's been blogging for two years and her blog has been featured in a bazillion news outlets.

That Millie is blogging isn't the story here; rather, she's a rich source of ethnographic data for products and how seniors use them. With a little help from her son, she video blogs about the challenges she faces using everyday products.

If you are a brand manager for:

* Pain-relievers, dental floss, or shampoo/conditioner, watch this
* Stretch-tite, plastic wrap products, deodorant, or toothpick dispensers, watch this
* Nescafe or instant coffee, watch this

Market researchers pay handsomely for this kind of research, yet it's unclear how many companies scan the web for free Millie research. We know Coca-Cola Company doesn't.

Here's an idea: Send customers webcams to record video diaries about them and your product. Encourage honest, open and transparent feedback to post on their blogs. Not only do you receive free market research, you enhance the ever-important Google juice.

Of course, do not try this if your product sucks.

Posted by Jackie Huba on November 28, 2005 | Permalink

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COMMENTS

Thanks for the GREAT post about me!!

Millie

Posted by: Millie Garfield at Nov 29, 2005 10:55:44 AM

"Of course, do not try this if your product sucks"

haha! classic....

Posted by: Jonathan at Nov 29, 2005 12:24:32 PM

have you guys discovered youtube? (youtube.com) it's flickr for video. near unlimited uploads, tagging/sharing etc. and lots of sweet tools for embedding video on websites. brands could ask customers to upload to youtube and tag the video "brand x" and there would then be a de facto brand x channel you could embed wherever... this is how i'm now taking in submissions. see http://www.obttv.com/youtube.html

Posted by: owen at Nov 29, 2005 9:32:21 PM

I have multiple sclerosis and a touch of arthritis. My hands are not what they used to be. Heck, none of my body is. I could be a quality control product tester for anything. It is ridiculous that companies do not utilize the disabled. Making something easy for us means it would be easy for the rest of the world. Who will be the forward thinking leader to take advantage of this opportunity?

Posted by: Morgan at Nov 30, 2005 11:41:10 AM

Congrats Millie on your Blog

Its well done, great recipes too

Have a safe and fun winter in Florida

Send some sun , up to Canada Please

Checkout www.screencastsonline.com
for some FREE Mac tips done on Video


JP

Posted by: John Piercy at Dec 7, 2005 2:55:43 PM

Seems the entire family has the heritage of blogging.

Posted by: John at Oct 28, 2006 6:14:15 AM



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