Panasonic's "Def Perception" marketing blog for the HVX
 

Just rec'd notice from Panasonic announcing this blog. It's been around for a little while and has been discussed elsewhere on the net... there was some speculation that it was a Panasonic marketing technique and not an actual privately operated personal blog in the traditional sense, and now Panasonic has owned up to that fact. From the press release:

Once again that link is www.defperception.com

Special thanks to Panasonic for including a link to our forum from their site!

[QUOTE=The blog, featuring “Tosh Bilowski” as the company’s human voice[/QUOTE]

If that is the human voice of Panasonic then what is Jan. Hmmm! She must be a T1000 then.........................

Sorry, but I don't like this at all and I hope Panasonic and other companies don't do it often. It really bothers me that they put it out there like it's a real user when the content is really under their control. Yeah, they admitted it in a press release and they do have "brought to you by Panasonic" at the top, but I still think it's written in a very sneaky way to seem like it's not an advertisement for them.

At least they finally came clean about it...

KW

Seems to me Chris, that imitation is the the sincerest form of flattery. The way you run this forum... is a tribute to the power and integrity of it's voice. What company WOULD'NT want a "DVINFONET" style blog or forum that would push their product.

I find DVINFO.net a valuable resource, as it's based entirely on user's personal experience. The pany blog, however, seems like a good marketing tool, but it's just that, a marketing tool. I'd rather read blogs like those found at hdforindies.com, and the like. Where the moderator/owners are partial to a particular product, but have zero ties (i.e. on the payroll) with the product manufacturers.

I did submit a comment on the site pertaining to HDV vs. DVCPRO HD, and have yet to see it posted. My only guess is that it's moderated during normal working hours : )

Truthfully, I think the folks at Pany will get better feedback/market research from this site. I'm sure they do, and certain they bound by corporate policy in terms of how they communicate.

Anyone paying 9k for a camera is going to rely on more than a simple blog for an expensive camera purcahse. I wouldn't worry about it, these messages boards (like DVInfo.net) are all you need to get a real good sense of what a DV product is all about.

Hi,

The purpose of the "blog" is to discuss the camera, its inner workings, P2 and DVCPRO HD, where that is all that is discussed. It is intended as an educational forum in the long run and hopefully it will turn out that way. Sometimes my ideas backfire, but I am hoping that this one will succeed as I think that it does provide a service where someone can ask a question relative to the intent and not be blasted with diogatory comments about the camera. I know that it doesn't happen as often around here as it does in other parts of the woods, but frankly I have seen too many people intimidated about asking questions or even learning and that is where the site is intended to go.

We chose a voice because I didn't want it to be me, heck, I am already too "popular" and that is a handicap for me. That was not and is not my ever my intention. I am hoping that Tosh can funnel questions to me that I can answer, and to others in the organization that others might better answer, thereby serving the community and getting the right answers to folks.

I am hoping that it does work. It isn't marketing as someone said above, it is about the camera, and DVCPRO HD. It is not the same as DVInfo. We do not have to engage in comparison ad nauseum, we don't have to let negative commentary stand, we can print all that we feel is necessary to educate the customer about the camera, P2 and its formats. We are hoping that it can grow, as it is a direct link to some of the best people within Panaosnic Broadcast, and if it catches on perhaps on a worldwide basis, but I'll be happy with the US.

Thanks,

Jan

Come on...we don't need to go there. :-) We'll let you do the guerilla marketing as you see fit, but it CERTAINLY is marketing. All the things you listed could've easily been integrated into the Panasonic site, where there is no doubt who is responsible for creating the content.

Personally, I think your presence here speaks volumes and I think that some users don't realize how great that is. I am astounded that we don't see Canon and Sony reps here...speaks volumes.

I guess I am just very sensitive in this "information age" we're in, as to where we are getting our information and what biases they may contain. It's similar to political blog sites that receive their "talking points" from higher sources. Hardly independent and unbiased.

Just my $.02. Don't mean to make it a big deal...

KW

Whatever the 'wrapper' you put on it, it is marketing.

I'll read the carefully worded brochures, set forth within the quidelines of corporate policy. Then I'll ask and consider the real world experience of users whom bought the product and put it to actual use.

Personally, I enjoyed "discovering" the blog, and it helped me close in on my pre-ordered purchase. With so much fear, uncertainty, and doubt, I was happy to just read something with the details, some positive vibe, and why the technology is of benefit. Don't get me wrong. I've been researching every speculative and factual tid bit of info all over the net since March (or whenever the rumors started early 2005). Something finally clicked, I've pre-ordered, and now I have only one real question left...

When might FedEx/UPS show up and request my signature in exchange for this revolutionary camera? Hopefully soon in December. :)

Jan it's guerilla marketing... My older brother is an award winning PR agent as well he has been in the PR industry for many years. This is marketing no matter how you slice it. Your better off not BSing this one, your hurting your PR rep now......... It's disgusting and horrible to see Panasonic stoop this low in marketing.

It's no different when Sony Pictures created David Manning a fictitious critic to review their own films back in 2001. There also was a class action law suit that followed. Very crappy thing to do Panansonic.

What's so stupid is the HVX200 will sell itself and there are plenty of sources of good info out there. I thought the mockup of NAB was bad, but this is a new new low.

Maybe http://blog.contentious.com/ will figure it all out. I don't care that much, but if it's true that this "Tosh" is fictional and a Panny rep is still saying things like "I am hoping Tosh can funnel questions to me..." than I would be very unhappy and disappointed. Trust in a company and a brand IS important these days.

I love the web...I hate the web.

Kevin

PS-The quote at the end of the site...I say it's all BS:


"Thanks for visiting my blog and please remember, I'm just a blog."

I've really been biting my tongue on this thread but I gotta say my piece. So against my better judgment I'm going to make three comments. They are nothing more than my observations and opinions, so just please accept them as that and nothing more. I hope I succeed in keeping them reasonably polite as all posts here should be:

1. Jan, I'm sure it was unintentional and he would probably never say so himself, but I think you stepped on the toes of our mutual friend Chris Hurd. We all know he runs one of the tightest ships in the world of discussion boards; he does not let unjustified negative commentary or intimidating behavior stand. A hand-picked team of moderators is on guard against policy violations around the clock to keep DVinfo's signal to noise ratio sky high. So your comment in this thread justifying the blog because "...someone can ask a question relative to the intent and not be blasted with diogatory [sic] comments about the camera. I know that it doesn't happen as often around here ..." does not sit well. Even softened, that characterization of DVinfo is simply not justified; yes, tough questions are perfectly within bounds but intimidating or rude? No. Very few get by the team for even as much as a few hours. I settled here as a regular member, and eventually became a moderator, precisely because DVinfo is a pleasant and highly informative site. So let's agree: if Panasonic wanted a blog; Panasonic has a blog and it has nothing to do with how DVinfo is run.

2. I did give the blog a quick read once Chris kindly pointed it out by starting this thread -- didn't see anything new, except perhaps more direct negativity toward HDV than I've seen in the official Panasonic documents I've read. My perception is that rather than shielding tender souls from hard questions in discussion board posts or presenting new information, it is a vehicle to slide in negative commentary against competitors...will it really be a first source of newly released information? That would surprise me, but ya never know. Even if so, I don't need to follow the blog because anything new will be talked about on DVinfo almost immediately.

3. So does the fact that the blog doesn't sit well with me mean I won't buy an HVX200? True, it doesn't help to endear Panasonic to me, but in the end it doesn't much matter. Whichever camera best suits my needs will be the one I buy. I'll determine that by gathering technical facts (like sensor and lens details one of these days!) about the camera and the most nearly objective expert opinions available to me. My sources will be official spec sheets, white papers, hands-on reports and images, and last but not least DVinfo, including posts from Jan, who deserves no end of kudos for maintaining a presence here!

I look at it this way:

I know it's a Panasonic website and fully appreciate that everything in it is aimed at marketing the camera. But at the very least it's not fictitious nor erroneous information. It's not hearsay nor unsupported guesswork. I can peruse it for details about a product that may not be found elsewhere.

In no way would I think of it as an unbiased source of information. Rather I consider it a dynamic version of a brochure. Nothing more.

Well, let's see if this "Josh" persona is real. I particularly like his "visit to a friend" in Japan and inside look to the Panasonic HQ there... It sounds so "genuine"....

I agree. Dvinfo is one of the best international forums for dv production out there. It is my primary source for real hands-on experience. People have their own likings here like anywhere in the web, but these boards are very well moderated and have a user group whose knowhow is immense. Add to that a very rational and respectful discussion code, and you get really good information to help you on your productions.

As for unbiased blogs, I suggest hdforindies.com. It's a very informative Blog from someone who really knows his business. If you like to discuss the HVX with a little Bias towards the camera (naturally), just go to dvxuser.com. While biased, its still one of the best resources for indie filmmakers. But since mostly everyone over there is a owner of a DVX (and happy about it), you certainly will not hear very bad comments for the camera... And these people are a heck of a lot more influencial in a marketing sense than a certain "Tosh"...