2009 is the year to take ExpressYourself.Tv to market!

[ExpressYourself.TV]

Bambi Francisco of Vator.tv was unable to speak at this year's Global.tv but we expect her next year. Instead, yours truly was invited to speak with about 12 hours notice. I selected a (relatively) random two-word DOT TV domain and divided the audience of entrepreneurs and developers into three groups:

Group 1: Little or no development/domaining experience
Group 2: Moderate no development/domaining experience
Group 3: Very no development/domaining experienced

I asked Group 1 to come up with their best idea to develop the domain ExpressYourself.tv without much time to think about it, just their first instinct. I subsequently asked the same of Group 2 and then I gave Group 3 an opportunity to share its thoughts. Everyone had great ideas and it was amazing to observe everyone put their unique creativity to work. After each group had an opportunity to speak, the floor was open to innovate and discuss those ideas I had written on the board.


It wouldn't be fair to expect anyone to come up with the top use for a domain like this without giving them a lot of time to critically think through all of the different potential uses of the domain. We simply lacked the time to have an exercise like that, but the limited time we did have was sufficient to deliver an experience that would encourage people to really think out of the box when they explored different development ideas and strategies for their own DOT TV websites.

With a lot more time to think about different concepts, many would have come up with the same top-notch use for the domain that its owner, Craig Davidenko, had envisioned, which was a fan site dedicated to the music artist, Madonna, one of the largest music icons who is most known for expressing herself (indeed, Express Yourself is a song on one of her most popular albums and she has been aggressive at pushing the envelope of expression in her music videos).

Prior to the conference, Craig approached Madonna's publicist about creating a fan site and was waiting to hear back. I wasn't aware of this when he asked me, point blank, what is the best development idea I could think of for his domain, ExpressYourself.tv...much like I did to the audience during my presentation.


The ideas shared by the table of entrepreneurs shot out like water from a fire hose; it was really an incredible experience. Building on Craig's idea for a Madonna fan site, the group came to the conclusion that ExpressYourself.tv should not only operate as a fan site that hosts video uploads of fans lip syncing or performing Madonn's songs, but also feed online contestants into a recurring Express Yourself television show that searches for America's next music talent (possibly the next generation's Madonna) where such contestants would perform on live television for Madonna and other music artists who would serve as judges. The website could also sell individual digital songs, entire digital albums, apparel, and other Madonna memorabilia.