Jason Kinzler Is Trying to Steal Repurpose Twitpitch

Jason Kinzler has rewarmed the idea of microPR and Twitpitching, and created a Ning group around the concept. For those who may not recall, I started the Twitpitch notion just before Web 2.0 Expo a few months ago (see Twitpitch Is The Future, Web 2.0 Expo Meeting Scheduling: Twitpitch Me! and As Bad As It Gets: The Case For Twitpitches, Part II). The idea has legs, and has been reported in Businessweek, ReadWriteWeb, and all over the blogosphere.

For those that missed the whole thing, here's the way it works:

A twitpitch takes the following form:

1. A twitter message of the form "@stoweboyd [pitch goes here without the brackets] #twitpitch". (Note the #hashtag means that these will be accessible at www.hashtags.org/tag/twitpitch.)
2. A second, optional twitter of the form "@stoweboyd [single URL goes here without the brackets] #twitpitch". Just one URL, please.
3. A third, optional twitter of the form "@stoweboyd [proposed time(s) to meet or call go here without the brackets] #twitpitch".

That's it.

I have posted a dozen or more successful Twitpitches here at /Message, and I am at work on a way to display them here, that I hope to debut next week).

But then Jason Kinzler tried to walk away with the idea. He's created a Ning group, called PitchEngine, has lifted the whole concept except with a different hashtag, Pitch140. Yawn.

[from PitchEngine]

PR meets social media at PitchEngine, where PR pros, agencies, journalists and bloggers gather to share and discover new media.

To enjoy the full benefits of connection, please sign up and join us to share your expertise and experience with social media public relations.

I think that Brian Solis and I will do some more interesting things at MicroPR, so just ignore copycat Jason.

[Update - 3pm 3 July: Apparently Jason is making the case (in the comments here and at PitchEngine) that he is just trying to help PR pros test the waters of microPR:

[from comments by Jason Kinzler]

PitchEngine is not about Twitter - it's about PR and media becoming involved in social media. I always reference you when talking about Twittering pitches, etc., The thought behind the Pitch140 was to encourage PR pros to experiment and try it out- see how good they could make a Pitch in 140 words- not an actual pitch- I have no interest in the actual content, just encourage the delivery.
Stowe, I give full credit to you, and as I said, reference the TwitPitch and you each and every time I mention the notion of Twitter and PR.

PitchEngine was started and trademark a year ago, even before the network was created and will be rolling out several tools for PR pros and media to engage in Social Media- the network is for sharing experiences and finding practical ways to engage media. I'm a practicing PR guy and have no desire to take credit for something you've created, I believe my readers and our members all know that is the case.

Ok, maybe I spoke too soon, so I struck the 'steal' from the original title, and used 'repurpose' instead. I will have to wait and see if his goals are truly benign.]

Comments

[Jason Kintzler]

Stowe- that couldn't be farther from the truth! PitchEngine is not about Twitter - it's about PR and media becoming involved in social media. I always reference you when talking about Twittering pitches, etc., The thought behind the Pitch140 was to encourage PR pros to experiment and try it out- see how good they could make a Pitch in 140 words- not an actual pitch- I have no interest in the actual content, just encourage the delivery.
Stowe, I give full credit to you, and as I said, reference the TwitPitch and you each and every time I mention the notion of Twitter and PR.

PitchEngine was started and trademark a year ago, even before the network was created and will be rolling out several tools for PR pros and media to engage in Social Media- the network is for sharing experiences and finding practical ways to engage media. I'm a practicing PR guy and have no desire to take credit for something you've created, I believe my readers and our members all know that is the case.

Please consider retracting your statement about me "stealing the TwitPitch".

[J Downing]

What's the point of Social Media if you can't share? Isn't that what its supposed to be? Pitch Engine is fully useful and gives a place to bounce ideas off each other and learn things that others are doing. I would have never even heard of you or Brian Solis (who i follow) were it not for JK.