Wednesday, May 05, 1999

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 5/5/99

Guess what? Another one's going public! David Friedensohn's BigStar Entertainment (www.BigStar.com) has filed their registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering of its Common Stock. The IPO will be lead managed by Prudential Securities. BigStar is a leading online-filmed entertainment superstore. BigStar sells filmed entertainment products in all popular formats such as videocassettes, digital videodiscs or DVDs and laserdiscs. You may have known about BigStar and the fun, physical antics of NYC marathoner David Friedensohn (CEO) who coaches soccer with Donna Williams (VP, Marketing), and who appeared on TV when profiled for their napping facilities!

The most obscure, anonymous and slightly annoying spam has come across my e-mail inbox and snail mailbox this week. From Helloisanybodyoutthere.com -- Network Solutions reveals that Eisnor Interactive is behind it. Yes. I'm out here (there). Now what?

Manning Rubin, Senior Creative Supervisor at K2 Design, has authored Keep Your Brain Alive (www.keepyourbrainalive.com), a book that gives advice on how not to go 'braindead' by using simple exercises. It contains 83 exercises that can be done while commuting, at work, at the market, during mealtimes, or while resting. While I think this is a great idea and the book is well written, thought out and nicely designed -- I spent a few minutes just thinking how nice it would be to just not use my brain at all!

Everybody's talking about fully integrated e-business solutions and Touchscreen Media Group has joined the hip-terminology band wagon with their new "e-connections" Internet business models. E-connections are created when businesses utilize the Internet to establish and enhance relationships with customers, partners and prospects. Focused on achieving business results, e-connections are unique Internet models that integrate a company’s Internet presence with their business objectives.

Alex Chaffee clued me in to another cool MIT app: Call 1-888-573-8255 and try out a conversational interface for on-line weather information, over the phone. Ask it questions like: What's the forecast for today in Boston?, Where is it snowing in Colorado?, What cities do you know in China? Are there any tornado warnings in the United States?

Pencom Web Works, the leader in web-based application integration, announced today that Applicom acquired a controlling share in the business, replacing Pencom Systems Inc. as the company’s financial backer. The company also announced it has changed its name to the Net Quotient Consulting Group and that it has received outside venture from Applicom, a Formula Group company.

Blue Marble ACG announced that it launched a new brand positioning campaign for 24/7 Media. The campaign, which bears the new theme line "It's About Time," consists of both print and online ads that are uniquely targeted to advertisers and Web publishers. http://www.bluemarble.com/247media/.

Eric Grilly will be leaving his position at Nando Media to become the Director of Denver Post On-line and become a part of one of the fiercest newspaper battles in the country.

KPE (www.kpe.com), an Interactive Development Agency with a specialty in Entertainment, has hired Anthony Jacobson as an Executive Producer and Amy Brownstein as Director of Public Relations, Mark Patricof, Principal of KPE, announced today. Mr. Jacobson, who hails from the William Morris Agency and Sony Pictures Classics will act as Executive Producer for the upcoming goodstory.com. He will also be lending his expertise to help develop and define many of the company s proprietary Internet projects and be consulting on other KPE Entertainment accounts currently underway such as Independent Pictures and Industry Entertainment. Ms. Brownstein, formerly a Senior Account Executive at Wolf Kasteler, representing clients such as Rupert Everett, Forrest Whitaker and Keifer Sutherland will be responsible for creating and maintaining KPE s internal and external public relations department.

Nancy Tamosaitis has moved on from her tenure at LobsenzStevens. She just joined Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide as Senior Vice President and is managing dot.coms and other technology accounts for their NY practice.