Not as entertaining as the viral video for James Frey’s The Final Testament Of The Holy Bible, but I’d say more compelling. The viral made me chuckle. This actually makes me want to read it.

I am a fan of James Frey’s writing. I am a fan of viral marketing. So it makes sense that I would like and blog about this viral video for James Frey’s new novel, The Final Testament Of The Holy Bible. But before we all get too excited about the fact that my posting of this viral video is proof positive of the effectiveness of viral marketing, I should point out that despite the ad’s genius, I only actually know the book is out – and hence why I googled it and found this superb piece of viral marketing gold – because my girlfriend read a piece about it in last week’s issue of Grazia Magazine.

I love films. But sometimes I think I love trailers more. There should be an Oscar for best trailer – the ability to make a bad film look amazing means that they are surely the highest, and most valuable, art form. The only things that equal the importance and thrill of trailers are opening credits. They set the tone, the atmosphere and the pace. They manage expectation and can make or break a film. Really good ones can standalone as stunning pieces of cinema in their own right. Art Of Title celebrates those first few minutes in all their forms from the the fully formed title sequence (see Vertigo, Se7en, The Game, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Casino Royale) to the scene setting sequence where film’s set-up provides the titles backdrop (Bullitt, Dirty Harry, It Might Get Loud, Moon). Great site. Prepare to spend a very long time here.

Love this track, Sun Of A Gun by Oh Land. Love the video even more. Even better is her website, very neat, minimalist design.

As a follow on from the earlier Hyperpotamus post, check out his website. Really nice, simple design. May well have to borrow a few style cue for the next incarnation of this blog. Wonder if there’s anything on wordpress what does a similar, moving box type thing.

Maybe it’s because I work at home, alone, with no one to talk to, that I have a strange obsession with other people’s offices. Call it Office Envy if you like. But thankfully the internet provides satisfaction for every fetish imaginable and my office fetish is no exception. Welcome to OfficeSnapshots.com, one of my favourite websties. I’ve spent/wasted/enjoyed many a long afternoon starring longingly at the monitors, desks and chairs that others take for granted. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Again, you’re welcome.

*the picture above is of the office of brand development agency The Wonderfactory. I like the shelves. I have a thing for shelves. I like putting things on shelves. I know. I’ll stop.

I am a big fan of Prince. This is no secret. I went to see him 8 times when he played his 21 nights in London in 2007 and would have gone more had it been physically possible. At his best he’s a genius and at his worst… well we forgive his worst for all the times that he’s a genius. Fan that I am though, I’m not sure even I can stump up the $77 to join his new website/music experiment www.lotusflow3r.com.

For that handsome sum subscribers get a t-shirt, concert ticket offers, photographs, videos and all the other stuff you’d expect from a fully functioning Prince website, plus, crucially, you’ll be instantly able to download all three of his new albums, Lotus Flower, MPLSOUNDS and Elixir.

Most people will obviously be paying their $77 (£55) to download the albums, making them roughly $25 (£18) a piece – although they will be available in the US via Target stores for $11.99 each. No news yet as to physical availability outside the US. The thing is, what if the albums, all three of them, are rubbish. I mean, with the best will in the world, and as I said I’m a fan, it’s not beyond the realm of possiblity. $25 (£18) is a lot for an album. Especially a rubbish one. Maybe their all three works of absolute mind blowing brilliance, but you won’t know until you’ve signed-up and paid $77 (£55) for them.

I’m all for Prince’s experimentation when it comes to finding new avenues of distribution, and new business models, but they should always include the opportunity for fans to hear what they’re going to buy before being asked to fork out for them. To make them pay up blind – and the one track samples of each album on the site don’t count – is unreasonable. And it’s not like you can take it back like in the good old days and pretend that you got two copies of it for your birthday, when really you just didn’t like it.

Still, even those determined to go ahead and hand over their $77 (£55) have been struggling to do so, because to sign-up to the site you first have to prove your true devotion to the purple one and answer a riddle – he really does make it hard to be a fan sometimes. For those who are currently finding it all very confusing and just want to sign-up, click on the ticket on the cliff edge – towards to right of the screen – and in the two fields enter 1986 and Los Angeles.

You’re welcome.

Let me know if it was worth the money. Maybe I’ll change my mind.

New rap website HipHop.Com launches next month. As a taster they’ve just posted an inaugural address from Chuck D re: the election of President Obama. Brace yourselves.