Pulver launches contest to save the Net

Fed up with deep-pocketed lobbying efforts influencing Congress in their shaping of the Internet's future, Jeff Pulver, CEO of pulver.com, has called on the Internet community to combat those efforts with creativity in the form of a marketing contest. Pulver is offering a $1,000 cash prize--and bragging rights--to the winner of his Viral Video "Save the Net" Marketing Contest. He is calling for the submission of short, creative ideas such as videos, flash ads and other Internet-based gimmicks that effectively communicate to government and communications policy leaders in Washington that they must write rules to enable the Internet innovators to transform the Internet and communications experience.

Pulver said in a statement he is "fed up with the current wave of sound-bites, platitudes, ads and marketing flooding the airwaves that profess to speak for the advancement of the Internet and communications."

He said these ads are influencing the U.S. Congress and governments around the world as they write the rules that will shape the future of the Internet and communications. "It is time the Internet community started speaking for itself," Pulver said.

Pulver is trying to match his efforts two years ago when he influenced the FCC's adoption of legislation designating computer-to-computer Internet communications services as "information services." Because, he said, the Internet community might not have the lobbying muscle, money, resources, or connections of the entrenched players in the communications debate, it needs to use its individual and collective will and creativity to transform the debate.

To win the $1,000 prize and help promote the Internet community agenda, applicants must complete and submit an online entry form, along with a video or other advertising message in English. The message must be a Flash ad, video or message of no more than three minutes or 1000 words demonstrating why and how public policy should be written to save and fulfill the promise of the Internet and advance communications. He recommends 30-second and 60-second spots.

Entries must be submitted by June 6, 2006.