PLUS, WE DON’T HAVE TO FLY THEM TO SXSW

March 12, 2010

“We really thought carefully about it and wanted to find a special environment where we really could grow these teams and grow these careers and work with customers, work with people who use Facebook.”

Facebook head of online operations Brady Burnett, on why the Silicon Valley-based social network has chosen to exile its customer-service drones to Austin, KVUE, 12 March 2010


LOCATING THE CHOIR, THEN PREACHING TO THEM

March 12, 2010

“[SXSW] is a four-day event in which everyone who already knows about both those products is already down there. It’s a ton of fun, meeting all the people who have [been] pitching for you and supporting your stuff.”

Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley, admitting that his company’s marketing push against rival geolocation service Gowalla at the South By Southwest Conference in Austin reaches no new customers, Fortune.com, 12 March 2010


THE ORIGIN OF THE RFP

March 11, 2010

“Let the free markets decide which company is best. We want lots of companies with lots of great ideas competing with a Darwinian pressure.”

Federal CIO Vivek Kundra, whose previous experience with free markets featured an episode of youthful indiscretion where he made off with shirts from JCPenney without paying, on his plans to spend $79 billion as chaotically as possible, BusinessWeek, 11 March 2010


BE THERE OR BE FOURSQUARE

March 11, 2010

“It’s where the intersection between digital and physical starts to get interesting. Starbucks loves that, because we’re always looking for that intersection, which we think is the evolution of social networks.”

Starbucks executive Chris Bruzzo, frothing more than just lattes as he tries to pretend he’s not in the fast-food business, Bits, 11 March 2010


NOBODY CHECKS IN THERE, IT’S TOO POPULAR

March 10, 2010

“Facebook used to be who your friends are, now it’s everyone.”

Cryptokleptomaniac Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley, explaining why his friend-finding service won’t be crushed by Facebook, Business Insider, 10 March 2010