Doh! Being Simpsonized Was Painful

It took some doing, but this is what I and Dan Voelpel, citizens of Tacoma, would supposedly look like as citizens of Springfield. We have been "Simpsonized" by technology akin to that probably used over at the nuclear power plant where Homer works.

I am happy for having completed the process, and see some resemblances between myself and my counterpart, as well as the business reporter for the Springfield Gazette and the News Tribune. A big thanks to Dan for allowing me to Simpsonize him. I was intent upon talking about being part of the Simpson's online community, but the process itself was such a painful one, that I cannot recommend trying it to anyone who does not have a great deal of patience.

When streaming media was making its foray into the web space, Victoria’s Secret made a big impact by holding an online fashion show. It was bold and new and almost nobody saw it. Too many people went online to view it and the site was overwhelmed to a point that it was seen live by few. The show was archived as well, and the stored video was watchable within the week and over many weeks.

So was it a success? There was so much publicity for the show, both in its being streamed live and by failing to do so successfully, that by sheer exposure (not counting the wardrobe malfunction) the stock went up along with sales of their products. I thought it was a success for creating the buzz that it did. One of my colleagues thought it a failure on a grand scale for causing so much disappointment.

It feels similar to me when trying out the "Simpsonize Me" promotional web site for the Simpson’s Movie. I spent two days just trying to get it to work successfully and was frustrated most of the time. It has been slow and at its worst, has taken the user (me) through several steps of the process to near completion before this now familiar error sign popped up.



It has been popular no doubt. Most of the time it will not allow a connection, and many times when it does, it communicates that there is too much traffic to the site. This would make the argument that in the long run, it is successful at getting word out on the movie and the sponsor of the site, which is Burger King. See, I even mentioned them.

But I may be taking the position of my old colleague when I say it is a failure, though not to the extent that he felt. Perhaps he was more disappointed in not seeing the Angels than I am not seeing the Simpsonized characters.

My take is that it states up front that the program is being brought to you by “Have it Your Way Technology”. This phrase is a play on the Burger King slogan. Every time it failed I had no one to blame but the folks at “Have it Your Way” technology. Of course, I suppose that if I am stopping at the BK, I am not going there for software.

UPDATE
Congrats to my sister who had the perseverance to Simpsonize herself. WHooHoo! Also, Erik Hanberg of www.erikemery.com and the Horatio Theater ran the animation gauntlet as well.



Next up, Jamie at www.thriceallamerican.com. We're building a whole neighborhood here.




I am adding yet another citizen to the group. This is Mark Briggs, Editor of Interactive Media at the Tacoma News Tribune and his real world counterpart.