(‘’)

UPDATE 2: Subvert and Profit has removed the offer to sell Crunchies votes. It seems all is back to normal and right with the world on Christmas.

UPDATE: After this was brought to the attention of Techcrunch, Subvert and Profit appears to have been removed from the sponsors list. We have inquired about sponsoring the Game Room Demo.

The Crunchies, Techcrunch’s annual technology awards, are being sponsored this year by social media cheating firm Subvert and Profit. That in itself is odd, but to make things weirder, Subvert and Profit is offering a service for nominees to buy votes and win the Crunchies. How could Techcrunch not see this coming?

On Techcrunch, their Crunchies2009 page lists the sponsors for the event in the right sidebar.  This year’s event, the 3rd annual, is being hosted by Techcrunch, Gigaom, and VentureBeat.  Subvert and Profit is listed as the Game Room Demo Sponsors.

The irony there, of course, is that S&P have built a reputation of “gaming” many of the larger social media sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, and YouTube.  How could they resist not helping to game the Crunchies as well?

They couldn’t.

It’s right there in the first paragraph of their homepage:

“Subvert and Profit runs an ever-expanding black market for votes on social media sites. We are simultaneously the easiest way to make money online and the cheapest form of advertising in the web 2.0 sphere. We are the crowdhackers, and we are very good at what we do.”

Very good indeed. For a bargain-basement price of $.10 per vote, candidates for the Crunchies can use Crunchies sponsor Subvert and Profit to win this year’s award. There’s no need to expand on any of this. Words wouldn’t do the hilarity of this situation justice.

* * *

Read more about Social Media Strategy on this blog.

Over the last several months, we’ve worked with some, interviewed others, and came to the conclusion that there are some out there that are real. Some. The rest, probably 95 out of 100, know very little about how to truly design social media campaigns and manage a proper social media strategy.  This is a huge problem as several corporations and small businesses we have talked to lately are skeptical of anything relating to social media.

They tried it with this company or that company and they didn’t see the results.

Before we join the chorus of “we’re the best” that makes it seem like we’re just like everyone else, let me state something very clearly. Our results are predefined. Our methods are discussed openly and honestly. We do not collect a penny until AFTER the results are rendered.

Do I have your attention?

For the first year of existence, Hasai chose to stay hidden. Social media and its many components are sensitive topics. Companies do not necessarily want their customers or competitors knowing that they have hired a social media firm, so we decided to “not exist” except through referrals and word-of-mouth.  As the company expanded over the months, it became clear – there are ways to protect our clients without staying in the shadows.

Too many companies are popping up that offer the same thing that we offer. Then again, a Daewoo and a Bentley both drive down the street. They both have 4 wheels, doors, windows, and an engine.  The difference is that one does it right and one did it wrong.

Read through the site. We are carefully crafting what we can and cannot say in a way that will protect everyone involved while still offering the opportunity for companies to find us.

You’ve found us. You’re already ahead of your competition.

* * *

Read more about Social Media Strategy.