TurboTax Gets a Bad Rap

First, let me disclose that I work for Intuit. You can decide for yourself whether or not my comments are unbiased.

This American Idolesque contest by TurboTax is the single, most hilarious thing I've seen come out of marketing since I started working here. It's so bad, it's got virality written all over it. How I wish I'd thought of it!

The middle-aged mama rapping in her kitchen made me laugh so hard, I almost fell out of my chair. TurboTax has a channel on YouTube for submissions, so if you want to shill for TurboTax, write and enter an original music video, and compete for the $25,000 grand prize (rap legend pretender Robert "Vanilla Ice" Van Winkle picks the winner), get out your digital video camera and start rapping. The contest ends March 30.

~ Kim

P.S. You get free TurboTax software, just for uploading an eligible rap video so you've got nothing to lose but your dignity. Give it a shot! (Yeah, I'd do it, but I'm not eligible. Darn!)

Naming Your Web Site

About a week ago, while browsing Yedda, I came across a question about naming a Web site.

I am developing a site for students, somebody has a suggestion of a name for the site???

Of course, a couple of users immediately started throwing out cute ideas. That's where I decided to step in. Here's my answer, as seen at Yedda.

Before you start coming up with cool names for your site, think about what you want to convey about it. What types of services are you going to offer? What features and functions will the site have? What type of site is it -- social networking, educational, or something completely different?

Sure you can come up with a name that has nothing to do with its purpose -- obviously Amazon.com and a host of Web 2.0 properties have done it. You could coin your own phrase by inventing a pseudo word for a site name, which might start a verb trend (ever heard of "googling"?). GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons talks about strange domain names on his April 6, 2005 podcast, if you're interested.

Keep in mind that you want your domain name to be brandable and memorable. I'd be glad to give you some ideas, but it would be better to know -- what is the site's purpose or, better yet, (aside from the "funny" tag in your question) what do you want the user community to remember?

If you really want to create some buzz, stage a contest to name the site. You might even be inspired by this guy who offered to change his name for the highest bidder.

Meanwhile, while you're trying to figure it all out, here are a few helpful links to get you started on domain name brainstorming or "namestorming." These sites have wizards that combine words and can suggest domain names.

Domain Name Wizard

Domain Twister

DomainGen.com

Domain2Trade

123Finder.com

There's also an article on JumpUp called Winning the Name Game. It's a two-part article on what to look for in a name and how to reserve it for your business.

By the way, I work for Intuit, so visit my JumpUp profile for more helpful links under "My Saved Bookmarks."

~ Kim

Shaving for the Clueless

This has got to be the silliest (and most entertaining) advertising idea I've seen in a long time. Thanks to Jim Del Favero for telling me about it during a meeting in Mountain View this week.

Philips Bodygroom: The Philips Norelco Bodygroom all-in-one system to shave and trim body hair.

O.K. -- the interactivity does remind me somewhat of Progressive Casualty Insurance Co's Virtual Voo Doo Doll.

Easily offended? Then don't go to the Philips site. To be honest, I couldn't stop laughing when the actor accompanied himself on the guitar while singing a folk song about the product and his "bleeped-out" boy parts. Obviously, this is not a tune you'd find on Billboard Magazine's charts. Parental discretion advised.

So if you're into interactive Web marketing with a ribald sense of humor, stop by the Norelco site to "drive" the virtual shaver and listen to some faux voicemail testimonials.