If I’m using the Michael Jordan TFL Update image, you can bet I’m planning on talking about Hanes! In one of the more innovative moves I’ve seen a company make recently, Hanes has decided to embrace social media and invest in fostering conversation with the consumer through social media channels. Not only will you find Hanes in places like Twitter and Facebook, you’ll also fine a great deal of the conversation aggregated at the new Social Mix Hub. Hanes has launched the new site (socialmixhub.com) as a place to pull all of that Hanes content into one place. At the same time, they are providing resources for those who want to write/blog/tweet about Hanes in the way of product images and details. Hanes has also established the Comfort Crew (of which The Father Life is a part), a group of brilliant social media leaders to use as a sounding board, for product reviews, and as brand ambassadors. Well, most of them are brilliant, anyway.
When you get a minute, surf on over to the Social Mix Hub and check it out. To celebrate the launch, Hanes is also offering a 10% discount on any orders placed at Hanes.com. Follow this link to take advantage of the savings: http://www.hanes.com/Hanes/default.aspx?PMC=FB10OFF
In other news from around the web, Nokia has announced the launch of their own Netbook. 3G enabled and featuring an Apple-like app store, this product looks to bridge the gap between iPhone and Netbook very nicely. Check out the video below, and for more info hit up FastCompany.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/fIHWM4liM2g" width="600" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]
Last, but certainly not least, is a unique opportunity for some NFL fun for the readers of The Father Life: the Okapi Football League. You’ve read the column “A Father’s Voice” by Jeremy Schneider right here at thefatherlife.com. Now you have an invitation from Jeremy himself:
Picture this: A tuxedoed gentleman, wearing white gloves, hands you a special engraved invitation, beaming his radiant smile because he knows you have just been elevated to the next level, that your life is about to change forever, that you are being offered admission to one of the most elite leagues in the world.
Yes, you are being invited to participate in the 5th incredible season of the Okapi Football League. Maybe you’ve heard of the grandeur, beauty and inspiring nature of the OFL, but never got around to joining before. Maybe you’ve played before but let your membership lapse (it’s okay, I forgive you). Maybe this is your first awareness that such an elite league even exists. If that is the case, let me say to you from the bottom of my heart, I am terribly sorry you’ve been missing out on this incredible experience for so long.
However, I am pleased to offer you the chance to join what some have referred to as the “most fun during the football season you can have this side of The Great Wall of China!” Several players have said, “Receiving Jeremy’s weekly emails are worth the price of admission alone – just don’t tell him I said that because he’ll get a big head!” The OFL simultaneously requires incredible brain power and yet none at all. As another participant said, “People both brilliant and lacking in any intelligence whatsoever can be (and have been, frankly) victorious in the OFL.” What you need more than anything else in the world is luck. So I ask you, do you feel lucky? Do you, punk?
Okay, so it is probably bad form to call you a punk and ask you to give me money to play in the OFL all in the same email, but I didn’t get where I am today by always doing the smart thing. No siree.
To play in the OFL all you need to do is register with CBS Sports (http://jgsofl.football.sportsline.com/e – password is “okapi” without the quotes, of course) and then each week of the football season pick who will win every game and guess how many points both teams will score on Monday Night Football. That’s it. Sure sometimes knowing about football helps, but as we’ve learned the last three years, sometimes not knowing is more of a benefit (just ask the people who only pick teams because of their favorite mascots or jersey colors or cities and still win two or even three times).
The essential rules are as follows:
- The cost to play is $42.50 – which breaks down to $2.50 a week and is due by September 3rd. This is the SAME EXACT amount as last year (and the year before and the year before and the year before)! That’s right – fun, excitement, wit and even sarcasm for only $42.50! This fee is due up front and I accept cash, check or through PayPal even credit cards (though with PayPal there is a $2.00 surcharge). If you want a PayPal invoice or want to send me a check (or even flowers), just let me know.
- For this meager amount of money, you not only get a chance to win every single week, but you also receive a weekly email from yours truly that will either have you laughing out loud or wondering if I belong in an institution – and sometimes both at the SAME TIME!!! How is THAT for value!
- Last year we had 42 people which equaled a weekly pot of $84 – essentially giving you the chance to double your money (# of participants x 2 = weekly pot)! This year I want to offer even more every week, but instead of raising the entrance fee, I’m just going to focus on getting even more people to play. So get your roommates, family and friends to join as well so the pot will be even BIGGER this year!
- The season-long winner will win $8.50 multiplied by the number of players minus $50, which will go to the poor sucker who finishes in second place. Last year the season-long winner won $312.
- If math is not your strong suit, just send me $42.50, make your picks every week and I’ll take care of the rest.
There is no way to underestimate the amount of fun participating in the OFL is. Between the challenge of picking each week, how exciting football weekend becomes because each game matters, and, of course, receiving my notorious emails every week to make you laugh and wonder about my mental stability, it is four months of fun like nothing you have ever experienced before.
I hope you will accept the special offer of admission into the Okapi Football League. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me in person or via email and I’ll be happy to answer them.
Take care,
Jeremy
The CommishP.S. To log in and register go to http://jgsofl.football.sportsline.com/e and use the password “okapi” without the quotes. You can even check out my emails from last year to see how much fun they are by looking at the Message Board.
Ben Martin is the CEO of THE FATHER LIFE. He lives with his wife and five children in the Rochester, NY, area.