Mister Jalopy's business card: Just Google me!

Mister Jalopy's business card is brilliant.

If you Google my nom de bullshit, Mister Jalopy, all the top hits are for web pages that I control. And my e-mail address is right on the front page of all of them. For detractors, fans and spam scraping robots alike, I am super easy to find.

Despite my almost annoying ever presence, people are always asking for my business card. I understand. It is not so much about my contact information as a physical token of us having met. An artifact to record the moment. So, now I have a business card!

Just Google me!

Mister Jalopy's Business Card

• [Anonymous]

  At what point did Mister Jalopy say that his Google business was an original idea?

• [jasoneppink]

  I like Evan Roth’s version:

  http://www.dipakchand.com/mindyourfuckinbusiness/2010/01/20/evan-roth/

  (He’s the first return when you search for “bad ass mother fucker”.)

• [Pip_R_Lagenta]

  Hey! I can do that with my fake name too! The secret, of course, is to have any kind of web presents plus a name that no one else could possibly want.

• [Cochituate]

  Do any of your web sites mention your hair? In the realm of modern day hair, it’s you and the gal from La Roux. You guys rock the hair products aisles.

• [Bender]

  THREE years ago, I had cards made that had my name, Terry Border, then the words “Search for BENT OBJECTS” which is my blog’s name. Searching my name takes you to the same sites.

  So there. I had Google beaten by two whole years.

• [Anonymous]

  @Alex3917 #3: After seeing those, I have the sudden idea to create business cards with fortunes on them. (Complete with lotto numbers on the back.)

  Although, that’s probably already been thought of already too…

• [mistersquid]

  To do: Implement a marketing strategy that subordinates your brand to another’s thereby leaving no memorable impression of yourself.

• [ToddBradley]

  It would have been funnier (to me anyhow) if his business card didn’t even have any graphics, but just this text:

  http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mister+jalopy

• [Anonymous]

  I disagree. I think the point of Mr. Jalopy’s card is being missed.

  The google director’s card “works” because he works for Google, and I’m betting his contact info is on the back of his card.

  Mr. Jalopy’s card “works” in a different way: it has no other contact info on it, and he’s saying all his contact info is google-able, and that you can learn more about him by googling him.

  And, being easily google-able as a brand or persona is a huge endorsement of your brand, not a subordination of it. Branding is more complex than that, #18. Google’s “brand” is basically invisible in this instance, even though it’s front and center on his card. “Google me” doesn’t cause someone to associate you professionally with google. I don’t think anyone would look at that card and think he works for google. The point seems as plain as can be.

  Also, such a card wouldn’t work for someone who doesn’t have an internet presence, or who’s contact info can’t be found as the result of a google search. It’s also an invitation to learn about what such a person does beyond their contact info. I think it’s great!

• [spiregrain]

  Hah! Mister Jalopy is *asking* for a good google-bombing.

• [Waldo Jaquith]

  I’ve got the same business card from when, as tamar points out, Google gave them out for free to folks with Google profiles. Only, of course, mine has my own name on it. With a name like “Waldo Jaquith,” though, that’s actually sensible for me.

• [igzabier]

  fun, just some MJ quotables;
  “Innovation does not stop at the end of the assembly line. Companies should think of customers as collaborators and reap the benefits of building a community of fierce advocates. There is significant economic incentive to connect with customers beyond consuming. Companies can create legendary brands that people care about and build products that customers will praise and defend,” states Jalopy. “Innovation should be shared.”

• [Alex3917]

  Ji Lee, the creative director at Google, already did this. If you go to the site below and click the right arrow you will see his version:

  http://pleaseenjoy.com/project.php?cat=3&subcat=5#

• [Anonymous]

  > all the top hits are for web pages that I control.

  Not any more: this article is result #5 and climbing.

• [invictus]

  I presume the logo’s copyrighted by Google, and isn’t under a CC license. Countdown to IP cops beating down mister Jalopy’s door starts… now.

• [Anonymous]

  Mark, if you are feeling even more certain (re: cocky) about your google juice, you can always show a person clicking on the I’m Feeling Lucky button. :-D

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jted/4286956840/in/set-72157594341446265/

• [Anonymous]

  My business card has exactly two things on it: my e-mail address and my picture.

  I wish more people put their picture on their cards, because I am horrible with names.

• [tamar]

  Sorry, not original. Google gave out business cards like this over a year ago. For free.

  http://www.cartoonbarry.com/2009/05/got_my_google_profile_business.html

• [tamar]

  Anon #7 – Maybe it’s awesome, but bottom line is it’s not original. The fact that Google distributed these cards for free to promote the Google profiles a year back should indicate as much.

  My issue isn’t BoingBoing’s coverage. It’s the fact that Mister Jalopy thought that this was new (and original), enough to send a tip, I suppose. It’s not.

• [nixiebunny]

  I don’t have business cards, because I could never figure out what picture to put on them. For that matter, what words would describe me?

  I’d have to write something on each card related to what I was discussing with the recipient, and I don’t seem to ever have a pencil on me when I’m out and about.

• [Anonymous]

  This card is awesome, no matter how many times it’s been done before.

  #3 Completely, totally different card.

  #5 Sorry, not original. Boingboing commentors dole out sniffy remarks like this every day. For free.

  Apologies to boingboing moderators. I’m on the warparth today. I don’t know how you stand it.

  • [Euryale]

    Anon @ #7, re: #3–Actually, it’s the exact same card. You didn’t hit the ‘next’ button at that site, did you?

• [Anonymous]

  You have got to be kidding me. Who cares if it has been done before? It is just a business card. I am just glad that Boing Boing brought it to us. Hopefully, in a year, when we forget all about it, they can remind us again with another photo of someone who has made a rad Google business card. Maybe mine.