Boris Fans: Would you be interested in participating in a DiS contest to win free Rosettastone Japanese Launguage Courses?
Hi,
I have spent about six montns trying to get Rosettastone's PR firm interested in my idea to get non-Japanese speaking Boris Fans SPEAKING JAPANESE. For months these people at the ad agency were too busy to even listen to me (I get a lot of that) because of the national elections here and then after the elections were FINALLY AND THANKFULLY over I at last got a chance to pitch my idea to the account exec and she didn't like it, she didn't even get how cool it was, she was completely nonplussed so I basically gave up the idea cause I really wanted to try Rosettastone's Dynamic Immersion course but they are so expensive- I actually tried out two other courses I got off the internet but they didn't include the A/V material that Rosettastone's courses offer. Then, just for laughs I called them back last week and spoke with the new account executive and she DOES like the idea- especially after I told her how cool DiS and DiSers is/are. She said she would be willing to provide some number of Rosettastone Japanese Courses to DiSer Boris Fans on these terms: DiS would have to disperse the courses in some kind of promotional contest (they won't just let me give the courses to my Boris buddies willie nille) and DiS must write a feature article about "it" which includes an interview with someone at Rosettastone (I am working to get someone from the band to be interviewed as well). What is "IT"? "It" is "The Rosettastone/Boris Cultural Exchange Project" or something like that. I see "the project" as generating two feature articles: one prior to recieving the courses and a follow up article to see how we did with the Courses. I also envision a few of us getting kanji/kana keyboards and posting reviews of Boris' next record in JAPANESE or possibly writing "fan letters" to the band in JAPANESE. Anyway, I think it is a cool idea with lots of possibilities and maybe even some ad sales for this website.
Is anyone interested in participating?
- Artists:
- None
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Yukkuri hanashite kudasai
I'd love to learn Japanese.
Cool, are you a boris fan? Sorry that is essential here (I think).
I hope there are enough true Boris fans that are passionated enough to carry out this labor of love.
Yukkuri hnanaawhjaw what?
Yep, I'm a Boris fan
I was actually listening to 'Pink' this morning. A lovely way to wake up.
Now I am trying to get DiS interested in the idea- hence this plea.
Maybe a contest won't be necessary. Maybe just get a few folks on board and go for it.
Yeah, cool, I hope this works out.
...
??
Cui bono?
it's obviously a win - win thing man.
...
Not to piss all over this or anything, but it's not obvious to me. Out of the three entities involved -
- If the market for language courses amongst indie music fans was as crazy as this scheme would warrant, we'd have seen at least one ad in NME and Mojo or something by now, right? I can't see and obvious way Drowned In Sound would be making much money out of ads for learn-a-language programmes.
- What benefit is there to Rosettastone, a company were previously concerned with clients who actively want or need to learn a new language - foreign students, business-people, old folks wanting a hobby - from aligning themselves with a niche website for the promotion of an obscure band? Moreover, is Japanese even a language people are queuing up to learn? I don't know how much resources they've got to dedicate, but would it not make more sense for them to focus on say, Mandarin or Arabic - which has a high business-oriented takeup - or Spanish (so tourists can order fish'n'chips in the local lingo)?
- Do Boris want to get rich and famous? Well, if they did they'd probably play more accessible music. Is this the best band you could come up for for this? Why not Carla Bruni, or that Spanish babe who sings about her breasts being mountains or something? They would seem like more the right kind of market.
But then, I'm no expert.
I am no marketing genius but I do know FUN STUFF!!
I remember reading new years resolutions on social last month and one user said they wanted to learn Japanese.
Jeez, you're ten times worse than those corporate ball busters in Washington D.C. ever dreamt of being. How should I know? All I know is that I talked them into it- what could be the harm to DiS, Rosettastone or Boris? I just think it's cool- do you want to talk about cool? You got a link to the spanish girl with the mountainous breasts? Boris doesn't make music and tour endlessly cause they want to be ignored. Surely they have some kind of assertive agenda in which they would like to make a decent living while making a ton of awesome music.
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"What could be the harm to DiS, Rosettastone or Boris?"
Good question. I've already explained how these scheme won't benefit them, but how could it harm them? Well, it can't really harm DiS seeing as you'll be paying them for ad space. The aspect of this I bet you'll have trouble selling to them is the idea of a member of DiS staff having to write a bunch of features extolling the virtues of a translation company through a thinly veiled band profile. A band, I might add that I guarantee Sean doesn't listen to.
How could it harm Boris: If they wanted to spend all their time teaching Japanese to foreigners they would have done this instead of starting a band.
Lastly, Rosettastone appear to have the most to lose, putting up money for a promotional campaign directed at the wrong (or at the very least, shallow) market for a language that not many people have an essential need to learn, using a band that not many people have heard of.
Sean already told me he was interested in it Stealthy- months ago
I wrote him asking for permission to give the courses away myself, directly on the forum but he wrote back saying that he SEAN ADAMS wanted to do a flipping feature- HIS IDEA NOT MINE!! Now he has evidently forgotten that or hasn't got time for it now or maybe he's angry at me for ranting about DiS' year end list and personally attacking his taste in music, who knows? Do you really love to argue this much? You are being daft and I am just trying to have fun. I didn't ask you for marketing strategies or lame projections about far fetched ramifications of my stupendously evil 'scheme" to undermine DiS, Rosettastone and Boris. Not that I don't appreciate your interest and understand the need to look at both sides of a coin but you seem to be playing devil's advocate to a fault- just a thought.
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There is no such phrase as 'devil's advocate to a fault'. The whole point of devil's advocacy is that it is a service to YOU from the advocate, for YOUR benefit - so that you can identify the weaknesses in your own position and end up with the best scheme possible.
In this instance, did you think that maybe Sean doesn't want to go through with this thing now that it's turned from a feature on a band, to what seems like free advertising for a translation company? Evidently not.
Did you ever consider that while you're getting shirty at me for bringing up all these objections, that you might end up getting the same objections from the very people whose money and resources you want to use?
Don't you think Boris might ask you what's in this for them apart from their donating their time and effort for free for the benefit of some company/website they've likely never heard of?
Don't you think the translation company might ask what's in this for them, giving their product away for free for the benefit for a demographic that doesn't have much any obvious use for it, using a band that hardly anyone outside a narrow scene has heard of?
Evidently not.
On Your Latest Points:
The "Devil's Advocate Argument": Sorry, I am at a total loss.
Sean's possible new consideration of a seemingly innocent feature article which may have a hidden marketing agenda: No, I don't see the article as being a possible "JAG" for a translation company. I see it more as a human interest piece with an awesome band, passionate fans and a corporation who is willing to put their good name on the line to close the language gap between them. No matter how you cut it Stealthy; it's just fun and you want to make un-fun and a little cheesey to boot.
The Boris Factor: I haven't talked with Boris about the prospect of non-Japanese speaking fans taking their own initiative and time to learn Japanese to show their support of the band but I would think they'd be flattered- I could be way off there but I think; again, you are barking up the wrong chicken there.
Your last point: You know, they asked me that very same question and all I said was: "Look, all I know is that Boris is probably the coolest rock band of the decade, they have been on tour with Nine Inch Nails for months and DiS is a great website enhabited by lot's of people who may be in need of your services at some point- I basically said "this is cool, you should do it." and ultimately it was that simple and I don't want to hex it with a bunch of hair splitting considerations such as yours.
Evidently not? The list of Boris Fans that want to get in on this is growing nearly as fast as your copious list of rubbish negative output.
hey dude lighten up and let the children play
...
So essentially, this company should give you stuff for free on the basis of five people on a website saying "I'd be up for this" and your opinion that 'Boris is cool'?
I will be following this with interest.
OK
..
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I love Pink too.
?????????????!!!!
yeah its an swesome album i'm gonna buy
feedbacker, akuma no uta & amplifer worship when i get paid, btw i'd be well up for this
Cool, I'd say you are too!
?????????????!!!
^ this is supposed to say: It's Flood for me!!!
translation
i love boris especially pink, japan is such a cool country and the language is awesome aswell, so count me in
Absolute(go)ly,
you have any idea what the contest would be?
Just something to establish the applicant's clear love for the band
: )
I'm imagining something beyond just seeing them live,
owning most of their albums,etc?
no, I'd say that would be excellent bona fides
That's about all I got to show, except to come up with this novel idea to reach out to the band by learning their language.
I remember this:
Pitchfork: No one tries to go up to you and speak Japanese, do they?
Yuki from Asobi Seksu: Sometimes it's someone who's like, "I'm learning how to speak Japanese, do you mind if I practice?" And I'm like, "Yeah, I mind." I'm not too fond of that, especially because I obviously speak English very well.
Boris uses interpreters for interviews and on tour
When Atsuo crowdsurfed over me I said "Dude, your stomach muscles are totally ripped! (in Japanese) and he seemed to appreciate it.
????
???????????????
???????????????????????????????
Boris (I got that)
Either one is good to the album, is?
“Japanese is studied, with always you do not use that program.”
^ this part not so much
It was meant to be
"Which Boris album is good? (I'm studying Japanese, but I've never used that program before)"
My Japanese is so bad :(
Funny! That was pretty good- keep studying, your doing good!!!
Every Boris album is 10/10, PRIMO!!!
i dont listen to Boris
but I would like to learn Japanese
okay, I'll put you down but let's see how many Boris Fans come out of the woodwork first
See Stealthy?
More than you thought.
...
And how many have bought a Rosettastone Japanese language course yet? Any? More than I think?
The logic leap here is giving me a headache
For one thing, existing Boris fans have presumably learned to live with the lack of Mandarin in their lives. For another, Boris are hardly massive sellers - indeed they're not even huge among the DiS market, in board terms or projected readership terms. For a final point, why have you taken it upon yourself to start selling advertising for someone else's site, especially as it means an interview with a non-musical company that would only piss off 99% of readers who would see it as both massive and blatant product placement, from which it seems you want to get a free language course, and contravening the basic tents of what DiS actually is?
For god's sake what is with you people? What is wrong with me selling a third party on the idea of advertising on this website?
It's not like I am falsely representing myself as DiS staff. Everything is clear and above board. I think it's just a cool idea and you are throwing a load of business ethics at me. Man, who asked you? Do love Boris and want to learn Japanese? No? Then I don't want to hear you. DiS advertises shit loads of non music related crap on here but I try to understand that is how they pay the bill instead of being haughty about it. You are a clown.
I've told lots of people I come in contact with about DiS and suggest advertising here
is that fucking problem?
I'm starting to feel like a jerk that spends way too much time on DiS.
PS. Sorry I called you a clown (I didn't mean that). What I really meant is that you are a total drag and "Mandarin" is either a tangerine or Chinese not Japanese which is what Boris is.
To those who think I am grandstanding or taking on roles I shouldn't:
I am not doing this soley as a rougue element. I have already been told months ago from DiS staff (I won't say who but definitely a person of authority) that they would be interested in "doing a promo" on this and it was unsolicited by me, it was their idea to begin with. After getting some initial encouragement from the Rosettastone people contacted DiS just to get their approval for me to do the giveaway myself direct on the forum in topic form; and I was told then by DiS that they would be interested in making it a promo from their side- that was exciting to me (god knows why) and really emboldened me to go ahead with it on my end and pursue Rossetastone. I finally got a "go" from Rosettastone and now inexplicably DiS is reticent about the whole affair so I decided to go back to the forum to see who might be interested as a way of illustrating the project's viability to DiS: something I thought was alread apparent and well taken but which is proving to rather naive thinking on my part. So you see; I am not a total crackpot- only a partial one.
Does that clear things up for you freaking poopooers?
substitute...
...boris for dj scotch egg and i'm listening...
substitute...
...dj scotch egg for Dethklok and i'm glistening...
I'm reading this page
and checking out the "Learn Chinese!" and "Japan Dating" adverts down the bottom.
I really really like Boris, but I can see why nobody would be interested in this.
but somebody is interested; myself and at least two others- what're you talking about?
Maybe not enough interest to warrant a feature article on DiS and all the rest but so what, I still thinks it's cool and I don't care if only a couple people agree. I'll probably dream of some other cool shit for you to hate soon- no worries.
To those who think I am grandstanding or taking on roles I shouldn't:
I am not doing this soley as a rougue element. I have already been told months ago from DiS staff (I won't say who but definitely a person of authority) that they would be interested in "doing a promo" on this and it was unsolicited by me, it was their idea to begin with. After getting some initial encouragement from the Rosettastone people I contacted DiS just to get their approval for me to do the giveaway myself direct on the forum in topic form and I was told then by DiS that they would be interested in making it a promo from their side- that was exciting to me (god knows why) and really emboldened me to go ahead with it on my end and pursue Rossetastone. Then last week I finally got a "go" from Rosettastone and now inexplicably DiS is reticent about the whole affair so I decided to go back to the forum to see who might be interested as a way of illustrating the project's viability to DiS: something I thought was already apparent and well taken but which is proving to rather naive thinking on my part. So you see; I am not a total crackpot- only a partial one.
Does that clear things up for you freaking poopooers?
i am a boris fan
and id like to learn japanese. proof is i am playing with a japanese girl guitarist.
I am more concerned about the amount of time and commitment it takes to learn japanese.
THAT! Is the most "naive" aspect of this: Learning Japanese has to be awful hard.
I have been dabbling in "english" 54 years now and I'm still struggling horribly with it. My Son and I are going to work together on it because he'd like to do an "independent study" for school so I am hoping that having someone to practice with will be an advantage. I am willing to buckle down though and see if I do better with Japanese than I did with English.
Cool, If you did this; you might be able to get your guitarist to help, possibly?
I would love the opportunity to learn Japanese.
Do I get bonus points for loving Boris too?
I've been waiting for you to pop up!
Yes, if I have a say in it- if it happens- yes.
It seems we have willing participants: DiSers and Rosettastone, now we need our fearless leader to come out of hiding and make it happen.
Sean?
anymore interested parties?
This thread is funny
I learnt Japanese for a bit a couple of years ago
I asked my teacher what Akuma No Uta meant (title of one of Boris' albums to fill in the detail), and he told me it meant The Devils Dance. Fascinating, huh?
Also: the captain of your brainship is quite clearly drunk at the wheel
I fired the captain years ago, he was irrelevant as my brainship is ruderless and under full sail.
The Devil's Dance- cool! See, If I'd six years of intense Japanese immersion I'd have known that.
Yeah, or alternatively
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akuma_No_Uta
Probably the coolest album cover ever- only cause they thought to do it.
I wonder if someone told Takeshi that he looked like Nick Drake in a certain way, under a certain light or if they are Nick Drake fans and just thought it was cool or what?
Boris Rules!
I'd definitely be interested
love Boris, and been meaning to take up Japanese again after forgetting the tiny bit I learned about 5 years ago. Just this weekend I bought a bunch of Japanese import CDs (including a couple of new Boris releases) and was wishing that I could read the sleeves properly...
Id be very interested in learning Japanese
My dad taught me like, two phrases and while I completely overused them, they were good fun. This and writing to Boris would be really really cool.
Id be very interested in learning Japanese
My dad taught me a couple of phrases a while back.
Writing to Boris would obviously be sweet too.
cheers!
...
I'd definetly be interested, especially after looking at the Rosetta stone on my own and being a little shocked at how expensive their stuff is. Well not that its expensive, its just I'm skint at the moment, so it seems alot more expensive than it actually is. Match that with Boris, who I love, you know, like a normal person, not like the crazy bastards on their last.fm shoutbox, and my interest is multiplied a good few times over.