A Vermont Purple Cow

Ok...first if you don't know Seth Godin and his books, please do you and your organization a favor and read them (the $1.99 download off Amazon of Really Bad PowerPoint is particularly brilliant).

He also wrote a book called Purple Cow on being remarkable at what you do (again, some valuable lessons for NPOs).

Going through my blog/news feeds this evening I came across a posting on Seth's Blog titled "A rare plug." More than most blogs, I browse the content of Seth's postings. This time something caught my eye. Being a former chef turned accidental techie, I was drawn to the epicurean/tech name of the group Seth plugged: The Eggplant Active Media Workers Collective. Perhaps there was a resonance that appealed to my closeted anarchist as well.

I spent most of the evening checking out The Eggplant Active Media Workers' site and projects. I started with their newest project launched a few days ago. Called Change This, its a beautifully simple idea: a website that uses everyday technology tools (blogs, PDF, Topica email service, and some great style sheets) to produce "manifestos" and spread ideas across the web to engage people in more dynamic and productive conversations--which it seems conventional media outlets are unwilling or unable to do. (As an aside, in one of the manifestos Elly Markson does for email, what Seth did for PowerPoint).

Looking at Eggplant's client projects more closely, I began to see a theme emerge. As expected, their clients are committed to social change issues, but I didn't expect that they would be so close to home; many of the clients are from Vermont (and two from my childhood home in Humboldt County, CA). A glance at their "About us" page confirmed my suspicion. The Eggplant folks are Vermonters! (well...some of them at least).

First Ben & Jerry's, then Dr. Dean, now these guys: I love this state.

Attention nonprofits: These folks really know what they are doing when it comes to the emerging web in our sector. Pay attention…and follow their lead.

Comments

[Micah]

"After Furling Change This and subscribing to their blog, I started to peruse thier work." -- their work meaning eggplant's work, I was confused from the ambiguity of this sentence, just thought I'd point it out.