ChasNote

Intel, FM and the folks at Hot Hardware are offering up that chance — a $5000 tech makeover — to a few lucky winners among vistors who enter the contest at Need A Tech Makeover.

Here’s the call for submissions:

“Is there someone in your life insisting that fine technology, like fine cheese, only improves with age? Are you carrying a cell phone the size of a brick or trying to surf the net on a computer that fills an entire room? Does your mom or dad print e-mails and reply by phone? Is your best friend the only person you know who still listens to cassettes on a boom box or watches movies on a Betamax? Do you need a tech makeover? Does someone you know need one?

“Intel invites you to submit your story or nominate someone you love for the chance to win a $5000 tech makeover and training from the experts at Hot Hardware!”

Several FM authors will judge which candidates are most needy of new gear, such as Maggie Mason at Mighty Girl and Mighty Haus, Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase at Cool Mom Picks, Natalie See Drieu at Craftzine, and David Altavilla and Marco Chiappetta at Hot Hardware.

Sixty entries so far, and dang, people have some powerful stories to tell. Check out this one.

JCPenney’s Linden Street line has teamed up with a half dozen FM authors to create the Home Style Guide, a group blog that pulls high-style decorating posts — chairs to build a room around or a DIY wood clock, for example — from Craftzine, Cool Mom Picks, Dooce, the Pioneer Woman, NOTCOT and others. JCPenney is the exclusive sponsor of the site (though they don’t control the editorial content), like they were last year on a similar site, FM’s Fall Shopping Guide. Featured Linden Street products are promoted down the left-hand column.

This expansion of the concept JCPenney piloted last fall suggests the “converational marketing” approach is working for them. Additional press on the earlier program:

Abbey Klaassen covered it for Ad Age, which requires registration so here’s a summary at ChasNote.

Steve Rubel gave it props in his year-end round up, from Micropersuasion.

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