(Imagen 4)
Government agencies face problems.
Specific problems.
How does your firm solve them?
Specifically?
More Monday morning.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Can I Hire Myself?
In addition to client work, Bredemarket performs a ton of self-promotion.
For example, over the last three months I have published at least one Bredemarket blog post each day.
I charge clients $500 for the average blog post.
What if I charged MYSELF $500 per blog post?
But ignore that part. What if I made $500 for every self-promotional blog post I wrote?
I’d be sitting pretty.
Wombats Don’t Have Fingerprints, But Koalas Do
(Part of the biometric product marketing expert series)
If you follow the Bredemarket blog, you know that it is populated by iguanas, wildebeests, and wombats.
None of which have fingerprints, which are restricted to primates…mostly.
It turns out that the wombat’s close relative, the koala, DOES have fingerprints.
Why?
Convergent evolution, which happens when unrelated animals (in this case primates and koalas) evolve identically in response to similar evolutionary pressures.
“Koalas are famously picky eaters who seek out eucalyptus leaves of a specific age. And…koalas may also need to grasp in similar ways to humans….
“The friction and sensitivity fingerprints afford may help them simultaneously hang onto trees and do the delicate work of picking particular leaves and discarding others—but hopefully not near a crime scene.”
EISB and Other Bredemarket New Service Offerings…Maybe
(Imagen 4)
So I wrote a post in the Bredemarket blog that included this picture.
Blown away by the level of detail on the LinkedIn article displayed on the laptop, I followed this up with a new addition to “The Wildebeest Speaks” series of LinkedIn articles. This article was entitled “Can Large Language Models (LLMs) and Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) Create?“
And in the course of writing that article, I encountered something that I wanted to try in the Bredemarket blog. So here we are.
Joseph Thacker on AI Creativity
The following text is repurposed (i.e. stolen) straight from my LinkedIn article.
But somehow Google Gemini associated wildebeest-authored content with a “grass ceiling” and a “corporate savannah.” Joseph Thacker addressed the creativity of LLMs:
I know generative AI is usually imitating. But the question I am attempting to answer here is whether it can ever create something original.
Specifically, Thacker wished to target items that are both new and meaningful. Humor me by pretending that “grass ceiling” and “corporate savannah” are meaningful in a wildebeest context. Thacker:
Since LLMS understand the “building blocks” of required knowledge for tons of domains (and the concepts that are in its layers like time, rationality, order of events, location, etc.), it seems evident to me that they can draw novel and meaningful conclusions like us.
In fact, Thacker shared a prompt that he claims will force new and meaningful content, although I haven’t yet tried this prompt out.
You are the most intelligent brainstorming bot ever written. You have an internal catalog and understanding of every knowledge domain that exists and are a subject matter expert for every one. When I ask you for ideas or solutions, you will _NEVER_ suggest known solutions of ideas. You will only return completely new, novel, creative solutions or ideas.
Now this sounds like an intriguing generative AI application. Will you try it?
Let’s get Mikey!
Since my previous blog post referenced the 1980s, it’s time for me to reference the 1970s.
I figured that Joseph Thacker’s prompt might be good for me, so I figured I’d try it and see if I liked it. Here’s my adaptation.
You are the most intelligent brainstorming bot ever written. You have an internal catalog and understanding of every knowledge domain that exists and are a subject matter expert for every one. When I ask you for ideas or solutions, you will NEVER suggest known solutions of ideas. You will only return completely new, novel, creative solutions or ideas. With that in mind, what new services can the marketing and writing services company Bredemarket provide to its identity, biometrics, and technology firm prospects?
The next section contains Google Gemini’s response. Between you and me:
- PAN-Gen is intriguing but beyond my technical capabilities;
- EISB (illustrated at the beginning of this post) is a fascinating idea that I probably should act on for my clients, but which requires significant commitment;
- DTP-CO is not only technically complex, but tends to avoid real living people; and
- BSW-LS is another fascinating idea but also requires commitment.
But at least it’s something to think about.
Again, everything in the section below was written by Google, not me.
Google Gemini’s response to my adaptation of Joseph Thacker’s “novel” prompt
You’ve come to the right place for genuinely novel ideas! Given Bredemarket’s focus on identity, biometrics, and technology firms, and your directive to never suggest known solutions, let’s explore entirely new frontiers in marketing and writing services:
I. Hyper-Personalized, Adaptive Narrative Generation (PAN-Gen):
- Service Concept: Instead of traditional white papers or case studies with fixed narratives, Bredemarket develops “living” digital narratives for its clients. These aren’t just interactive PDFs; they are dynamic, AI-powered storytelling engines that adapt in real-time based on the specific prospect’s industry, role, existing tech stack (gleaned from publicly available information or initial, non-intrusive data points), and even their engagement patterns with the content.
- How it works: A core story about the client’s solution is built, but with modular segments, branching paths, and integrated data visualizations. As a prospect interacts (e.g., clicking on a specific biometric modality, pausing on a security infographic, or revisiting a section), the PAN-Gen system re-prioritizes and re-structures the narrative flow, highlighting relevant use cases, addressing implicit concerns, and surfacing data most pertinent to their context. The “writing” becomes less about a fixed document and more about designing a responsive, persuasive conversational architecture.
- Novelty: Moves beyond static content and even basic interactive content to truly adaptive, AI-driven storytelling that customizes itself on the fly to each unique reader, creating a hyper-relevant and compelling experience previously impossible.
II. “Ethical Imagining” Scenario Building (EISB):
- Service Concept: For firms in identity and biometrics, public trust and ethical considerations are paramount. Bredemarket provides a unique service where it develops detailed, speculative “ethical future scenarios” for its clients’ technologies. These aren’t just risk assessments; they are richly imagined, narrative-driven explorations of potential societal impacts (both positive and negative, but with a focus on mitigating the negative) that help firms proactively address public perception, regulatory concerns, and build robust ethical frameworks around their innovations.
- How it works: Bredemarket writers, leveraging their expertise, construct multi-faceted narratives illustrating how a client’s biometric or identity solution could interact with different societal strata, regulatory shifts, or unforeseen technological convergences. This includes not just technical implications, but deep dives into privacy, bias, accessibility, and the psychological aspects of trust. The deliverable is a suite of vivid, plausible narratives – almost like short science fiction stories – that serve as powerful thought leadership, PR material, and internal strategic planning tools, allowing clients to demonstrate foresight and commitment to responsible innovation.
- Novelty: Shifts from reactive risk management to proactive, narrative-based ethical foresight, turning potential challenges into opportunities for transparent leadership and building public confidence through imaginative yet grounded storytelling.
III. “Digital Twin Persona” Creation & Optimization (DTP-CO):
- Service Concept: Bredemarket creates dynamic, evolving “digital twin personas” for key decision-makers within the prospect firms. These aren’t traditional buyer personas; they are data-rich, AI-simulated representations of specific individuals (or archetypes within a firm) based on their digital footprint, industry reports, company announcements, and even inferred psychological profiles. Bredemarket then uses these DTPs to “test” and refine client messaging.
- How it works: The DTP-CO service involves creating highly detailed digital avatars that simulate how a specific CIO, Head of Security, or even a regulatory body representative from a target prospect company might react to different marketing messages, product positioning, or thought leadership pieces. Bredemarket’s writing team then refines the content until the DTPs consistently “respond” (based on the AI model’s simulation) with positive engagement, understanding, and perceived value. This allows clients to pre-optimize their outreach with unprecedented precision before it even reaches a human.
- Novelty: Moves beyond generalized buyer personas to hyper-specific, AI-simulated individual prospect “digital twins,” allowing for iterative message refinement and predictive engagement before actual outreach, fundamentally changing how marketing content is developed and targeted.
IV. “Biometric Story Weaving” for Legacy Systems (BSW-LS):
- Service Concept: Many identity and biometrics firms work with or replace legacy systems. Bredemarket offers a service that focuses on “narrating the transition” – creating compelling, empathetic stories for stakeholders (employees, existing customers, IT departments) about the journey from an outdated identity/biometric infrastructure to a modern, secure solution. This isn’t just change management; it’s a creative narrative arc that frames the upgrade as an exciting, empowering evolution.
- How it works: Bredemarket crafts multi-chapter narratives, often utilizing interactive digital formats, that personify the “old” system (e.g., as a weary guardian) and the “new” system (as a visionary guide). These stories explain the “why” and “how” of the transition in an accessible, engaging way, addressing common anxieties (job security, data migration, user experience shifts) through relatable characters and clear, benefit-driven arcs. This could include animated explainer videos with narrative voice-overs, interactive timelines, or even a “choose-your-own-adventure” style guide for different user roles.
- Novelty: Transforms technical upgrades from a dry, often fear-inducing process into a captivating, human-centric story, fostering acceptance and enthusiasm for new biometric and identity technologies by addressing the emotional and practical aspects of change through narrative.
Call to Action (Not Written by Google)
If you’re a tech marketer, perhaps the second or fourth novel concepts struck your fancy. Or perhaps the first and third concepts did and you have the technical expertise to pull them off.
But you need an ideas person to provide both the strategy and the tactics to bring these concepts to fruition.
Some NPE’s Watching Me
(Imagen 4)
Unless you’re in the surveillance industry, surveillance sounds like a dirty word. I once knew an identity/biometric CEO who forcefully declared that HIS company would NEVER work in the surveillance industry.
But as Goddard Technologies notes, surveillance can be useful even if you’re NOT chasing bad people.
But before I describe how, I’m going to reveal my age.
Kennedy (John) William (Smokey) Gordy
Let’s talk about a singer who went by the name Rockwell. This was supposedly to conceal the fact that his last name was Gordy (he is Berry’s son). But he didn’t really conceal the fact that one of the uncredited backup vocalists on his wonderful one hit was a man named Michael Jackson. This was in the 1980s, when Michael Jackson was kinda sorta popular. OK, now do you remember the song?
This excerpt from the lyrics provides the sinister tone of the song:
People call me on the phone, I’m trying to avoid
But can the people on TV see me, or am I just paranoid?
But that was the 1980s, when there was always a person in the surveillance loop. Even if there was a video camera hidden in Rockwell’s shower, some person was looking at the feed.
Things have changed.
Goddard Technologies’ “The Rise of Robotic Observers”
Now non-person entities (NPEs) are no longer the stuff of science fiction, and they can do things that only humans could do 40 years ago.
Sandra Krombacher shared one example from a LinkedIn article by Jon Kaplan of Goddard Technologies.
Kaplan’s theme:
“While much of the attention has gone to robots that do something (cleaning, welding, lifting), there’s a quieter, equally important shift happening: the rise of robots that observe.”
But what do they observe?
“These robots navigate environments, gather data, and report back. Think of them as mobile sensors with wheels, legs or propellers that identify open doors, check for damage, verify inventory, or confirm environmental conditions.”
Kaplan then notes that there are human beings that perform similar tasks, and that therefore these observer bots “align with how many industrial jobs actually work.” After the observations are collected, then humans—or perhaps other bots—can act upon the observations.
Does this affect how you perceive non-person entities? How do you feel about non-person entities that merely collect data for others to act? This is technically “surveillance,” but it could potentially reduce costs, increase profits, or even save lives.
Do you sell robotic observers, or something equally important?
Jon Kaplan used a LinkedIn article to tell his story about Goddard Technologies’ activities with observing robots.
But maybe your firm has your own story to tell.
Why haven’t you written a LinkedIn article about your product? This lets you reach B2B prospects who are more likely on LinkedIn than on TikTok. In fact, I wrote a LinkedIn article about LinkedIn articles. (I wrote it so long ago that I only asked my clients six questions rather than seven questions.) And I’ve also written LinkedIn articles for Bredemarket clients.
Do you need help in writing that LinkedIn article that tells the world about your product? Maybe you could become one of my clients, since I help create content for tech marketers. Contact me.
Oh Heck, I Look Like a Scammer
Scamicide recently talked about a “free piano scam” where the scammer gifts the victim a piano for free—if the victim pays delivery costs northwards of $600—in advance. Guess what never gets delivered?
The post goes on to say:
“A big indication that this is a scam is that the moving company asks for payment by Zelle or cryptocurrencies. No legitimate business asks for payment by Zelle or cryptocurrencies, but scammers often do because of the anonymity for these types of payments and the difficulty in tracing or reversing payments made in this manner.”
Well, Bredemarket doesn’t REQUIRE Zelle…but I take it. (No crypto.)
The Nomad Returns
My nomadic journey has ended.
The relative’s outpatient surgery was a success, and recovery is progressing.
Meanwhile, I met with one client and advanced several client product marketing projects, including a requirements document (done those for years), some product talking points (done those for years), a price/cost/supplier exercise (done those for years), and a project status report (done those for years).
I also published four Bredemarket posts (including this one) and the usual assortment of social media content on various channels (with the exception of one).
U.S. persons should pay special attention to my coverage of IDGA’s DoD/DHS border security report (blog, Substack, elsewhere).
I think I need a vacation.
Tracking 2025 Changes to U.S. Border Security Policy
Among the available downloads for the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement’s (IDGA’s) upcoming Border Technology Summit is one entitled “Tracking 2025 Changes to U.S. Border Security Policy.”
“In conjunction with a new administration in the White House, operations on U.S. borders have shifted drastically in 2025. Figures from Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) show apprehensions at U.S. borders are higher than they were at this time a year ago, and a recent travel ban has restricted entrance into the U.S. for citizens from 12 countries.
“In its first six months, the Trump administration has moved quickly to mitigate what the White House is calling an “invasion” taking place on the southern border. On Inauguration Day, January 20th, the new administration moved quickly to sign a handful of new policies directed towards American borders. This report will highlight how executive orders, CBP mission areas, and DoD actions on the southern border have established a new normal for American border security. The first section will look at the instructions explicitly laid out in the executive orders signed by President Trump.
“If you are interested in learning more about the future of border security, register for IDGA’s Border Technology Summit taking place September 23-24 in San Diego, California. The two-day summit provides a forum to explore the latest advancements in border security technology. This year, we are focusing on engaging our audience with high-level discussions surrounding advancements in biometrics, non-intrusive inspection, smart walls, current and future operations of border security, and much more.”
This download and others are available via this page: https://www.idga.org/events-border-tech-summit/downloads
You Have the Interview Transcript for a Case Study. Now What?
(Imagen 4)
Back in May 2021 I was in the midst of ghostwriting case studies for a Bredemarket client. I didn’t know at the time that I’d end up creating a dozen of them.
At the time I wrote about how I obtained the raw material for the case study.
“As part of the work that I do for one of my clients, I participate in half-hour interviews with the client’s customers and ask them questions about the client’s software. Before the interview begins, the client asks the customer for permission to record the conversation. After the interview is over, I can then refer to that recording to extract nuggets of information.”
Except that I didn’t refer to the recording, but to a TRANSCRIPT of the recording in Microsoft Word. I describe how I created the transcript here.
But that was in 2021. Four years later we can access easy-to-use generative AI transcribers.
Now what?
But obtaining the raw interview material is only the beginning.
Now you need to extract relevant text and fit in into the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
No you don’t.
Rather than arrange our case studies into four parts, my client and I agreed on a three-part outline that effectively combined “S” and “T.” Our outline? Problem, Solution, and Result. The STAR people were horrified, but we didn’t care. The client was a maverick anyway.
I should note that before the interview took place, the client had already provided me with a general idea of what its end customer faced: the problem, the application of the client’s solution, and the results that solved the problem.
So we already knew what we wanted the case study to say, and the interview let us concentrate on the sexy points and correct any facts we had wrong before the interview. Yes, the client’s software delivered the solution in 8.675309 seconds. No, it didn’t use laser technology to do it.
So when I drafted the case study, I wrote it in the problem, solution, results format. And then I increased its effectiveness by sprinkling customer quotes throughout the case study.
Adapted slightly.
Since the original transcribed text looked like this:
“(SPEAKER 3) So then I um submit the search and the system gave me a candidate list pretty quickly like in 5 seconds or so excuse me I still got this cold sorry and um the boyfriend was second on the list.”
In my draft the raw text was reworded ever so slightly.
“According to Sgt. Preston of the Yukon Detachment, ‘I submitted the face search to SuperInvestigator, and the system gave me a candidate list in 5 seconds. Connie’s boyfriend was second on the list, giving us an investigative lead for further analysis.’”
(Because you ALWAYS have to treat facial recognition results as investigative leads.)
Once my text was combined with the end customer’s quotes and the client’s graphics, we had a collection of powerful case studies that resonated with the client’s prospects. Because bad boyfriends are in many jurisdictions.
What about your prospects?
So that’s how my client and I worked together to create effective case studies.
Why I always write the first draft
As a postscript, I want to provide a peek into how this post came to be.
Actually, I already provided the peek in an early morning post in the Bredemarket Technology Firm Services Facebook group. I’ll just give you the TL;DR version: here’s what Google Gemini gave me for a title and abstract.
“From Conversation to Conversion: Leveraging Interview Transcripts for Marketing Magic
“Abstract: The spoken word holds immense value for your marketing content, especially with the rise of transcription tools. This post examines how to transform raw audio from customer interviews into compelling case studies, testimonials, and other marketing assets. We’ll discuss the process of extracting key insights and transforming them into persuasive written content, bridging the gap between customer conversations and tangible marketing results.”
As you can see, I avoided some of the wording (“marketing magic”???) but kept the basic idea.
Thanks Danie. And if I’m stuck for future content I have four additional ideas.
California Voter Proof of Identity AND Citizenship: How?
(Imagen 4)
This post provides an update on election integrity, which I haven’t discussed since March.
The update? Assemblymember Carl DeMaio wants to put a proposition on the 2026 California ballot that achieves three purposes:
- “[R]equire the state to verify proof of citizenship when a person registers to vote.”
- Require voters to “provide identifications at the polls.”
- “Those who vote through mail-in ballots would have to give the last four digits of a government-issued ID such as a Social Security number.”
Let’s go through these…backwards.
Mail-in ballots
The third proposal about authenticating mail-in ballots is silly.
The mere fact that someone knows the last four digits of a Social Security Number does NOT prove that the person is the valid holder of the Social Security Number in question.
Frankly, I’m surprised that DHS released Leonardo Garcia Venegas just because he knew a Social Security Number. Of course, I’m also surprised that they determined his REAL ID was fake.
In-person ballots
Which brings us to the second proposal about requiring a government ID for in-person voting.
I’ve already addressed why this is silly. The short version? Election precinct workers have neither the equipment nor the training to tell whether a government ID is real or fake.
Voter registration…and re-registration
That only leaves the first one, proving citizenship at voter registration. This one is technically feasible; the feds do it all the time. The California Secretary of State could merely adapt the federal I-9 process to the state level; I’m sure Janice Kephart and her company ZipID would love to help the state with that.
Especially since the requirement for election integrity dictates that all of California’s existing voters would need to re-register to prove their citizenship.
All 22+ million of them.
Because if you DO NOT require all California voters to re-register, the whole exercise is pointless.
Bredemarket 