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Add-Art is now Firefox 3 compatible!

Steve Lambert — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:38:09 +0000

Great news; Add-Art, the Firefox browser extension that replaces ads with art is now Firefox 3 compatible. The extension blocks advertising and replaces it with art images that change every two weeks. The art comes from contemporary artists and curators – read a review from Rhizome.

If you’ve been waiting for Add-Art to work in Firefox 3, now is the time to update.

Introduction to Add-Art from Steve Lambert on Vimeo.

“We’re All Going To Die,” Industry Laments . . . Again

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:44:59 +0000

An article in yesterday’s AdAge titled “Ad Skipping? Just Wait. It’s Going to Get Worse.” bemoans last week’s US Court of Appeals ruling that would allow—oh, it’s bad—”network DVR” technology, essentially allowing viewers at home to watch whatever they want on cable, whenever they want to watch it, without buying any fancy new equipment or boxes.

(This used to be considered a right, noncommercial media, on the theory that broadcasts took place in public space, and needed to give back to the public good because of it. That’s recently been abandoned, notably by NPR and PBS, because it’s not profitable.)

The danger, of course—or as we at-home viewers like to call it, the benefit—is that you can skip every ad.

Oh, but that’s not how the ad industry sees it. Barely concealing threats to the “media conglomerates” that, the story raves, make such excellent use of ad revenue now, and referring to the technology as “invasive”, “penetrative”, and “great cause for concern,” the article goes on to provide some of the most hilarious quotes I’ve ever read outside of a joke book.

“Consumers, now accustomed to watching shows as they wish,” the piece contends, suffer from an “ad-skipping addiction.”

John Senior, a partner at Oliver Wyman, seems baffled. “They don’t want to watch commercials, but they won’t pay to not watch commercials.”

Oh. My. God.: How are they supposed to make a buck if we refuse to give them any?

NYC: Pandamonium

Steve Lambert — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:00:32 +0000

Pandamonium is a costumed, roving, street party, apocalyptic, dance, rock, battle. Saturday August 16th, Meetup 8:30 pm Union Square NYC!

This comes from several trusted sources. Everything else about it is secret. Have some fun on Saturday before summer ends and it’s too cold to roam around the city dancing in a panda constume with your boombox tuned to pirate radio. More info.

IllegalBillboards.org

Steve Lambert — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:43:23 +0000

IllegalBillboards.org is a new effort launched by the Anti-Advertising Agency with IllegalSigns.ca to help organize and support the removal of illegal billboards in New York (we’ll get to the rest of the country soon I hope!). IllegalBillboards.org consists of a forum and blog where you can learn how to investigate an illegal sign and track progress.

This project got started at last months Illegal Billboard workshop at Eyebeam (se e photos above) and we’re just beginning. We want to welcome you to join us. We’ll soon be going on a field trip to identify signs – that will probably end at a bar – so join the email list. I’ll be out of town for a couple weeks, so Jordan from Public Ad Campaign will be in charge.

“Circulars” from MOMO

Steve Lambert — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:15:53 +0000

MOMO KILLS IT!!! So simple. So great. Be sure to check out MOMOSHOWPALACE

YouTube – MOMO’s Circulars.

OFFFice Fire Sale!

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:52:25 +0000

OK, really there is nothing for sale–we’re a noncommercial enterprise in a noncommercial space!–but, sadly, the Foundation For Freedom Temporary World Headquarters at Mess Hall is coming to a close.

We’d like to thank you for your dedicated support and attendance during the last month. You’ve helped us accomplish:

An 11% raise in funds over the initial investment donated by Steve and I, to be awarded one lucky advertiser for leaving the industry!
Targeted outreach to Chicago’s top 50 ad agencies!
A 400% increase in joy in the advertisers whose lives we touched while narrowly avoiding bonking them with footballs downtown.
The creation of a flyer, to be posted along Madison avenue–or wherever you want!–describing our services (see below)
The Cut’N'Paste Ad Responder–soon to be a widget maybe!
A greater awareness of the possibilities of non-commercial fields!
A full day of skills-training workshops over our Weekend of Independence!

So, thanks! We couldn’t have done it without you! But there are still ways to be involved:

And, of course:

Apply today!

(Applications are due September 1.)

Thanks so much for your support of our important mission. Feel free to keep in touch!

Sincerely,

Anne Elizabeth Moore
Executive Director
Foundation For Freedom

The AAAFFF Presents: The Cut-n-Paste Ad Offer Responder!

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:32:30 +0000

If you run a website or blog, chances are your email inbox is filled to brimmin’ with offers from friendly advertisers willing to allow you a once- (or maybe twice!) in-a-lifetime opportunity to display their content on your site. Sometimes, sure, they offer to pay for the marketing work you’re doing on their behalf, but sometimes not! Sometimes, they just want to exchange links!

Now, you’re probably aware that you’re under no obligation to respond to such requests for free or underpaid labor—unless you’re really desperate for money, in which case I’d start billing the agencies the industry standard rate of $45 per hour—and saying “no thanks” can get a little old.

So here at the AAAFFF, we’ve developed a simple tool—a form letter, really—to respond to such offers. And instead of requesting the advertisers give us free or underpaid labor, we’re offering them the Anti-Advertising Agency Foundation For Freedom Award!

We’re posting our letter here for you to cut, paste, and send. Feel free to personalize it—and let us know how it works!

Dear Advertiser / Marketer / PR Person,

So great to hear from you!

Thank you for your kind offer to host your content on my site, in either a paid or volunteer capacity. Surely I will regret turning it down, because it certainly does seem like a fantastic opportunity!

Please don’t feel rejected. There are still several online venues available for you to legally and ethically pursue the wider audience you feel your product, event, or service deserves—without the trouble of chasing down individual bloggers or site owners! Two of the more popular are the Yellow Pages and Craigslist. Many local newspapers also offer affordable rates you may wish to look into. (One helpful hint I like to pass along is, if you are surfing the net and come across a site you like, check to see if they offer ad rates, usually noted by a link marked “advertising”!)

Maybe, though, this email comes at a bad time for you. Perhaps the legal and ethical problems plaguing advertising today have begun to gnaw. Likely, you always wanted to do something more fulfilling and creative with your life—and I can help!

My friends at the Anti-Advertising Agency Foundation For Freedom just might pay you cash money, throw you a big party in New York City, and award you a giant novelty check if you quit your job!

Plus, they’ll help you network with creatives in noncommercial fields and assist you in putting your talents to good use to help solve real-world problems! The application is easy, and you have plenty of time—it’s not due until September 1! Just download it here.

Or perhaps the problem runs deeper than that, and the legal and ethical issues the ad industry raises simply do not concern you. I completely understand. Maybe you’d be more comfortable making a donation, or forwarding the application link along to your colleagues in the industry. Now could be the time for you to weed out a bit of the competition!

Well, thanks again—It’s been great talking with you!

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME HERE]

Weekend of Independence Workshops: Saturday July 5, Chicago oFFFice

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:05:35 +0000

The co-founders of the Anti-Advertising Agency Foundation For Freedom, Steve Lambert, CEO of the Anti-Advertising Agency, and Anne Elizabeth Moore, Executive Director of the Foundation For Freedom, present four FREE workshops this weekend at our oFFFices to celebrate your personal independence from oppressive working conditions!

The Workshops

1:00pm Redefining Your Skillset: Putting Together a Great Resume for the Non-Profit Sector In this 50 minute workshop, Anne and Steve provide tips and training on relanguaging your advertising skillset toward the needs of social justice organizations. Spent years designing cigarette campaigns? We’ll show you how to turn that into a valuable tool for the American Cancer Society. Please bring current resume and red pen.

2:00pm How to Find Good-Paying Jobs in Public Service Steve and Anne will lead you by hand through the most effective steps to locate, apply for—and get!—a sustainable job working for change. In just 50 minutes! Bring a pad of paper and a pencil.

3:00pm Telling Your Account Manager No: How To Refuse to Work On Ethically Bereft Ad Campaigns Want to stay in advertising for now? This 50 minute workshop will provide you with all the information you need to back away from the most damaging of commercial campaigns. Please note: we will still try to convince you to quit your job. Prepare to role play!

4:00pm Letter of Resignation Writing Seminar Write a clear, decisive, and hilarious letter of resignation to end your career in advertising without losing friends—Anne and Steve will show you how in just 50 minutes! Bring stamps and professional letterhead.

Applications for the 2008 AAAFFFA—the AAAFFFA Kit—will also be available for your convenience. As always, our workshops are free, but donations to the AAAFFF are encouraged. All workshops will be held at our oFFFice at Mess Hall: 6932 N Glenwood, Chicago, just across from the Morse stop on the Red Line. Please arrive ten minutes early and note each workshop requirement carefully, and feel free to sign up in advance by emailing FFF@antiadvertisingagency.com! We will also be making individual appointments with select ad pros—let us know when you’re available!

YouTube: Monetizing Alleged Copyright Violators—And Skirting the Law

Anne Elizabeth Moore — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:14:07 +0000

My friend Franklin Lopez—videomaker extraordinaire—recently received a bizarre notice in his inbox regarding a show he produced reusing some Universal Music Group (UMG) imagery. The note stated in part, “Your video is still live because UMG has authorized the use of this content on YouTube. As long as UMG has a claim on your video, they will receive public statistics about your video, such as number of views. Viewers may also see advertising on your video’s page.”

Now forget that Lopez’s show, It’s The End of the World As We Know It And I Feel Fine, is a news program. (In my opinion a very good one, although unlikely to attract a mainstream audience due to its radical politics and volume of swears.) Here, he’s even commenting—favorably, nonetheless, on a popular song. These facts, in a normal copyright infringement allegation, would make Lopez’s show a good candidate for the Fair Use defense.

Forget it, though, because this case won’t ever go to the courts. Lopez—unwittingly, perhaps, maybe even regretfully—agreed to such terms when he posted videos to the site. And now UMG, the company he refers to as one of the “corporate bloodsuckers that dominate the culture industry” in the episode in question is targeting and, potentially, profiting from his audience. And skirting the law.

(Incidentally, they’re targeting mine too: the song leads into an interview about Unmarketable. See the whole thing here.)

But anticorporate radicals aren’t the only ones being subjected to this profitable new plan for subverting the Copyright Act of 1976—even with those fancy pro-corporate provisions that favor businesses at the expense of creativity. Blogger John posted a jazz video, apparently never having realized he may (or may not) be committing a crime.

“Ooh,” he wrote when he got his note. “I just came close to being sued for posting copyrighted songs on YouTube! That’s crazy!”

In full, Lopez’s note—and maybe one headed toward your inbox soon, too—reads like this:

Dear YouTube Member:

UMG has claimed some or all visual content in your video It’s the End of the World as We know it #31. This claim was made as part of the YouTube Content Identification program.

Your video is still live because UMG has authorized the use of this content on YouTube. As long as UMG has a claim on your video, they will receive public statistics about your video, such as number of views. Viewers may also see advertising on your video’s page.

Claim Details:
Copyright owner: UMG
Content claimed: Some or all of the visual content
Policy: Allow this content to remain on YouTube.
* Place advertisements on this video’s watch page.

Applies to these locations:
Everywhere

UMG claimed this content as a part of the YouTube Content Identification program. YouTube allows partners to review YouTube videos for content to which they own the rights. Partners may use our automated video / audio matching system to identify their content, or they may manually review videos.

If you believe that this claim was made in error, or that you are otherwise authorized to use the content at issue, you can dispute this claim with UMG and view other options in the Video ID Matches section of your YouTube account. Please note that YouTube does not mediate copyright disputes between YouTube owners. Learn more about video identification disputes.

Sincerely,
The YouTube Content Identification Team

Which raises the question: What sort of “program,” exactly, is YouTube’s Content Identification program? The answer appears on YouTube’s Help Center page, and includes the following description:

The Video Identification tool is the latest way YouTube offers copyright holders to easily identify and manage their content on YouTube. The tool creates ID files which are then run against user uploads and, if a match occurs, the copyright holders policy preferences are then applied to that video. Rights owners can choose to block, track or monetize their content. [An ID file is a] digital content identification file which corresponds to a reference file (a piece of content like a movie, music or other audiovisual material). This file is generated using Google software and is also known as a “fingerprint.” . . . If Video ID identifies a match between a user upload and material in the reference library, it applies the usage policy designated by the content owner. The usage policy tells the system what to do with the video. Matches can be to only the audio portion of an upload, the video portion only, or both. . . . There are three usage policies — Block, Track or Monetize. If a rights owner specifies a Block policy, the video will not be viewable on YouTube. If the rights owner specifies a Track policy, the video will continue to be made available on YouTube and the rights owner will receive information about the video, such as how many views it receives. For a Monetize policy, the video will continue to be available on YouTube and ads will appear in conjunction with the video.

And don’t overlook the disclaimer:

WE ARE NOT YOUR ATTORNEYS, AND THE INFORMATION WE PRESENT HERE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. WE PRESENT THIS INFORMATION FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

So what are your options as a law-abiding devotee of the Fair Use defense, when you find your work is now both promoting and criticizing copyright owners? Well,if you’d been accused of copyright infringement, and your work was removed under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, you could file a counter-notice. But since we’re working here outside the law, you can file a dispute with YouTube, who will forward it along to the company claiming copyright ownership. They’ll sort it out for you—privately.

But this is all a little different than the plan alluded to by Google CEO Eric Schmidt in the spring to monetize YouTube’s success. When revealed last month, the plan promised to award the videos of certain “content partners”—record labels, movie studios, and TV networks who presumably pay for the service—an “about-to-go-viral” honorific, and attach ads to them. It’s called “buzz targeting,” and according to Silicon Alley Insider the user-generated content for which YouTube is so celebrated is not eligible.

“One of the greatest aspects of YouTube is how it has democratized the way in which videos are discovered and promoted,” Shiva Rajaraman, YouTube Product Manager, states in the press release. “On any given day, a video from a top-tier content creator or an ordinary YouTube user can become the next big thing.”

Of course, YouTube now has a vested interest in turning certain videos from certain “top-tier content creators” into the next big thing, which isn’t any longer a “democratizing” project. And the company has still found a way to monetize its more democratic aspects, for the benefit of those in the top tier.

And the only one losing out here is that “ordinary YouTube user.”

New Project: Add-Art; replaces online ads with art

Steve Lambert — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:52:27 +0000

Add-Art is a free Firefox add-on which replaces advertising on websites with curated art images. Created with the support of Eyebeam, Rhizome, Add-Art releases new art shows every two weeks and strives to feature contemporary artists and curators.

The plugin works alongside AdBlock Plus, which blocks online ads, and simply replaces that blank space with art images. AdBlock Plus is the most popular of the thousands of available add-ons for Firefox with 18 million total downloads (as of May 2008) and over 250,000 downloads last week.

Would you like to see art instead of ads as you browse sites online? Go to add-art.org and download the plugin for your Firefox browser now.

To discuss it further post in the add-art forums.