UPDATE: The party filled up very quickly so Reservations are now closed. Those of you wondering if you registered successfully can search for your name on this list. We're looking forward to seeing you all there!
Next week, at Las Vegas' Pubcon Conference, SEOmoz is throwing a whole new kind of party. In the past, we've had tons of fun playing the parlor game, Werewolf (description & rules here), with Googlers, SEOs, Black Hats & industry mavens. It's the perfect combination of deceit, guile and yelling across a table. However, we've always felt that lynching villagers and biting victims was a little too 13th century for our tastes. Thus, we've updated the game of Werewolf with new cards, caricatures of popular industry figures and new titles and called it...
Search Spam!
In all, we've created 24 cards with caricatures of many favorite SEO personalities, given them clever titles, assigned them white hats, black hats (Rae insisted on being a black hat, so we had to oblige) and the powers to re-include or discover spammers.
To find out who the other 21 participants are, and to get your very own set of Search Spam cards (limited print run!), you'll need to attend SEOmoz's Werewolf/Search Spam party (detail page) on Wednesday, December 5 from 8-10pm in the South Hall during Pubcon next week. Registration and space is, sadly, limited to 200 participants (plus special guests, including many of those caricatured), so we've created a registration form that you can fill out here on SEOmoz's website:
REGISTER for the SEOmoz Pubcon Werewolf/Search Spam Party
We will be providing some drinks and possibly food as well (Scott's still working on all the details), and the party's right after Google's cocktail networking event, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to grab your beverage of choice ahead of time. Our friends over at Superb Hosting will be giving away a year of dedicated hosting to be raffled off during the party as well - more details on that to come.
Hope to see you all there!
p.s. For those who might have a tough time reading the small print, Barry Schwartz's card marks him as a 'White Hat of the Roundtable," Rae Hoffman notes that you should "Never Mess with a Woman in a Black Hat," and Natala Menezes, in an ode to her furry companion, is a "White Hat, Cuba-ist." Credit to Mystery Guest for most of the titles.
p.p.s. We loved the caricature concept so much that we've also gone for new business cards like these:
Make sure to ask any mozzers you run into at the conference for a card and check us out in illustrated form :)
LMAO... I did not! You said the game was called "Mafia/Werewolf/Murder/Vampire" and I demanded to be a mafia card (I even double checked the email haha). That said, I can see how that got interpreted to blackhat. I'll never live the past down, so I've given up trying and just go with it. ;-)
I won't lie though - can't wait to get a deck :)
And spill - which one of the mozzettes thought it would be funny to put me in a pink shirt? ;-)
It's fuchsia.
Possibly cerise?
pretty in pink... not rae... she is black hatted and black clothed all the way....
BTW now that I am coming you better be bringing pooh!!!
You're coming to Vegas now? Sweet sassy molassy!
You can thank me for berating him all morning via Facebook :D
lol... hey you are throwing a party... how could I miss it I am only 5 hours away
I have missed my stalkee
Spoken like a true stalker!
Man, PubCon is coming up so soon, I have been so busy lately. I wonder if the Stalkarazzi will be in full effect. Clicky Click!
Damn - seriously missing out by not going.
Seomoz really needs to get an online store. We'd buy decks of cards, t-shirts, stickers, badges, posters, life-size cut-outs and everything. Will, we have space in the budget for that right?
I second that. I want a t-shirt with a giant caricatured Rand head on it. Slogan: "My own personal Jes-moz." ;)
I'll set up an online store as soon as Rand approves production of the SEOmoz Lunchbox, SEOmoz Coloring Book and of course, SEOmoz The Flamethrower!
SEOmoz colouring book!! want.
Yes, the SEOmoz coloring book with lots of pages full of the famed GoogleBot in various poses and doing things around the house: washing the dishes, making dinner, flying a kite in the backyard with his dog.
I think that could rise quickly to the top of the SEOmoz Holiday Gift Guide.
I mentioned this in a previous post--our coloring book will only come with two crayon colors: white (for those hats) and yellow (for, of course, Pumas).
add me to the party list I just changed my flight times
Coming to Vegas now, Frank? Awesome! Look forward to seeing you.
now get me on the party list
Frank that rocks, I so much owe you dinner!
lol... yes it could get a little out of hand!!!
I want a limited edition SEOmoz comic book with at least 20 alternate covers.
The covers will be Rand's alternating emotions that make him link...
Can't believe we can't buy a deck. Wondering whether I can reconsider a trip to Vegas...
Get your flight here, Will! A mere USD $2844 - that's about £32.50, right? OK so it's really about £1422, but it's first class all the way and direct from Stansted to Vegas. What more can you ask?
£32.50? I don't need to check exchange rates, that's a steal!!
Hey Guys,
I am so bummed. I was so looking forward to getting the chance to kill & maim as the Werewolf (probably now aka Matt Cutts - just kidding Matt). If I wasn't going to be lying on a white sandy beach in Fiji and Oz, I would be really depressed.
Anyways, have a blast. And yes, we will be giving away a Dedicated Server to the lucky winner in lieu of me actually being there to hunt down black hats and spammers (after this many years I think I am pretty good at finding out who they are).
Cheers,
Curtis
Fiji and Australia? I hate you.
I am doing Rome and Australia July/August next year - may have an extra business class ticket..... (well have the miles anyway)....
Throw in China and you'll have plenty of upgradeable miles!
Sorry :( I guess if I have to miss out on partying with you and the gang, plus playing Werewolf, this is acceptable. Still I am bummed.
I am sure that many of you will have seen this by now... but if not, the Pubcon Blog just announced that there is 500 tickets to 4 vegas shows for anyone who has a blog and will review what they saw. It is on a first come first serve basis. Here is the link to the details
Pubcon Blog
spam, spam, spam!
Are you sending out confirmation notices to those who registered? Or publishing a list. I registered, but need some confirmation so I can sleep well knowing that I am in!
dk
I'm working on a friggin TV show for a client at Pechanga Resort, and I will not only miss this awesome party, but It's looking like I'll have to sneak away and fly to Vegas one night if I am going to get any PUBCON action in at all.
Sadness rules in happyland.
Looks like a cool game, I am in :)
See you all next week!
I wont be able to make it, i wish if I could still get a copy of the Search Spam Custom Cards.... Rand are you listening/reading ?
Great idea with the business cards... looks hilarious.
I'd love to get one of these, so when are you in Europe the next time?
Btw: your lips look a bit ... big :)
Holy crap that sounds like a fun time. I've played a lot of Werewolf games...
...online...
...on a video game forum I frequent...
Wow I'm a geek. Have fun everyone!
It's a good thing you can't hear me whining like a baby cause I ain't gonna be there. My poor wife on the other hand........
there was no-one to go to chinese food with in Chicago so I had to add days in Vegas as well
And you have to make up for bailing in NYC!
Wow.... okay I am bringing you a bottle of mescal - worm and all...
I registered too but didn't get any email confirmation that I'm in or not. Please advise. Thanks!
You're appearing on the RSPV list :)
Fantastic, thanks!
O.K. I am dying here! Am I on the RSVP list? This is way more important to me than the Microsoft party or the lousy poker tournament ;)
Is this RSVP list visible to us mortals?
Clearly with the level of enthusiasm I have about this contest I will be voted off the first round.
dk
Yep, you're on the RSVP list too :) The list is capped so when it reaches its max, no more people can register. If you can register, you're in! Look forward to seeing all you guys there...
Jane,
Is Terry Richards on the list? Thanks in adv.
Yes, you got in well before the cut-off.
SWEET. See you there.
Can't wait! Looks like a great time.
Dan
The online store should offer masks of all the SEOmoz staff so we can play "A day at the SEOmoz office" game at home!!
All of our communication takes place via IM, so it would be one long day of silence, typing and random outbursts of uncontrollable laughter.
IM - now we are talking - why am I still using the phone. R U going to Pubcon
You better be wearing the All Blacks jersey one night when I am in Vegas!!!
Dude, she wears that thing ALL the time. I think it's fused to her skin.
Very cool... I will be bringing my Aussie one!!!
Maybe have a little scrum in the hallways of the Wynn
Just registered, I will see you there!
I am such a dork. I am so excited about this silly game that I can not stand it.
I am actually looking more forward to the Werewolf game than my own Poker Tournament at the Venitian!
Thanks so much for setting this up. And with custom made cards too? Now I finally have something new to strive for in life. The goal of being on a card! Hmm....
dk
Now I just need to learn how to play the game.
It's easy. See you there.
Spoken like a true shark ;-)
That's exactly what I say to my friends who want to take up poker!
And I usually start off by saying "Now I just need to learn how to play the game." ;-)
LOL - I see you're one step ahead already ;-)
Looking forward to it!
Wow, that is great. I wonder if anyone who attends will auction thiers off? ;)
The signed set of SEOMoz business cards on eBay? Those could fetch some good $$$ :)
Dang, I miss all the good sh*t. Looks like fun.
love the card Rand, how's that made? by a cartoon artist or software?
A friend of Rand's is an artist and drew the caricatures.
Fantastic. This will be my first PubCon (nice little flight from the NC). The party should be fun, although I am thoroughly jealous about those cards - I would kill for one.
I am so there :)
Too bad it's not a werewolf bar mitzvah (spoo-ky, scare-y).
Boys becoming men
Men becoming wolves!
Are the new business cards also an unveiling of the new titles?
You got it, dude.
Don't be bringing Michelle Tanner quotes into our house!
Yeah, cut. it. out.
How rude!
I sometimes think Rebecca's biggest value to the SEOMoz empire is her ability to bring cheesy pop culture references to every single thread.
she is the master of pop.
Clearly I'm either not watching enough Nick at Nite with Junior Cheeseburger and the Mini Sith Princess, or parenting has eroded the part of my brain that watched Full House when it originally aired...
Took me waaaaayyyy too long to figure out what you were all talking about.
And Shor, I'm so totally printing out that Jane Magic card for my husband to use in his next tournament...
I'm glad that my childhood spent in front of the television can now account for something!
Sweet! This sounds like a good time... Maybe I'll jaunt over from LA to attend.
Yes! I do like mine, although in my caricature, I have very weak, rounded shoulders. Anyone who's ever met me will attest to how inaccurate that is :D
Fear not Jane, your shoulders are now accurately represented with their very own card.
Shoulders of Doom
edit: Fixed. Yah, I'm a nerd!
Aww, it's not loading properly!
Seriously - porridge on the keyboard moment over here!! (also - do you play MTG? I was an avid player in my youth before poker entered my life and I realised there was money to be made playing cards!)
I think that's the standard transition.
MTG as a kid and poker as an adult. Why spend money on cards when you can make money off cards...
True that - all my friends I played MTG with as a kid are now playing poker in some form or another. Most of them pretty successful too!
OMG - how much of a nerd am I that when I read about a giant game of this at a SXSW a while back, I was mad that I had not gone. Now I get to play and play with SEO trading cards!!!! I'M SO IN!! Now I just have to figure out how one can trash talk while playing this....
Looking forward to it!
Like the caricatures... any chance you would offer the service to the premium members? A whole bunch of profile photos in cartoon form! Think of the link bait material!
Why aren't you calling the party "seoMoz party like a rock star party"?
Because everyday is "seoMoz party like a rock star party"
Plus they are from Seattle.
Now I really wish I could be at PubCon. Just for the party. That's all I want ... just a deck of cards. Come on Rand. Sell them. :) We'd so buy them. Collector's edition.