The Agitator Wall Update: We Confess!

June 15, 2013      Admin

In the interest of full transparency with our Agitator readers, we have a confession to make.

We are watching you!

Using technology developed at AOL, we have been studying your facial and emotional reactions to The Agitator’s paywall proposition, as recorded without your knowledge via the webcam on your computer. The technology is described here. The stakes are high with The Wall; we wanted every possible marketing insight we could get.

And here is one Agitator reader’s reaction, which you probably thought was simply a stock photo when you first saw it. Not so Grasshopper.

This is actually a captured image of Clyde Fensterwald, social media director at Greenpeace, when he viewed our first announcement of The Wall. We applaud Greenpeace for bringing cutting-edge staff aboard, regardless of age and wardrobe.

And we are pleased to report that once he got over the initial shock, Clyde became one of our charter subscribers for $50.

In a note accompanying his subscription, Clyde wrote:

“In my brief career so far, I have come to respect the healthy skepticism The Agitator displays toward fundraising via social media. But I know you guys are really open-minded and, as my reading and writing comprehension improves, I’m making it my personal mission to persuade you of the virtues of social media in the decades ahead. Learning is a two-way street.

“And I am strongly urging all of my professional fundraising colleagues to subscribe to The Agitator. I might be a wee bit wet behind the ears, but I do appreciate value for money, especially when you can name your own price.”

Thanks for that Clyde. Indeed, learning is a two-way street and we are fortunate to have the smartest and most dedicated fundraisers in the world amongst The Agitator readership, sharing their experience and insights. We are hopeful that several dozen of them will subscribe as The Wall approaches.

Roger and Tom

P.S. The reader tracking technology is for real. Spooky!

2 responses to “The Agitator Wall Update: We Confess!”

  1. Kim Silva says:
    June 17, 2013 at 11:35 am

    Spooky is right. Do they have to ask for permission first? They could be the next focus of the NSA, if they aren’t careful.

    Does the software track whether or not the reader has already had coffee and is dressed? Note to self…be showered and awake before reading AOL copy.

  2. Carmen Netzel says:
    June 19, 2013 at 5:00 am

    On top of providing sacks of knowledge and experience your humour is priceless!
    Thank you for making me laugh.

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