An article on John Battelle’s Searchblog recently caught our eye — John is writing a book about search, media, and technology, and in the draft, he’s considering how people search for information:

The last chapter of my book is entitled “Perfect Search”, in it I run through the many developments in search which might lead us to the Holy Grail — a perfect (or at least the best possible) answer to every question. From the early draft, I write: “Imagine the ability to ask any question and get not just an accurate answer, but your perfect answer — an answer that suits the context and intent of your question, an answer that is informed by who you are and why you might be asking.”

At 82ASK we wondered the same thing, and built the service around exactly these kinds of questions. It’s excellent to see industry writers tackling these issues in a sustained way. Alan Moore recently suggested that “in many ways 82ASK is the Perfect Search — not even google can deliver that!” We’re flattered by this of course, but 82ASK is always looking for ways to perfect the perfect search!

82ASK is holding its AGM at its company headquarters.
82ASK is located at 74 Eden Street Cambridge CB1 1EL.

Map of 82ASK offices

Tomi T Ahonen and Alan Moore, authors of Communities Dominate Brands and directors of engagement marketing strategists SMLXL, recently profiled 82ASK on their website. Their obvious good taste aside(!), these guys have some extremely good insights into the direction that marketing and branding is heading. For instance, they say that

Many believe that communities of interest are now evolving into communities of creation and communities of economic production. And this is something that traditional companies find very hard to emulate.

SMLXL are analysing and implementing exciting new strategies for engagement marketing, and at root, they look at how companies can benefit by empowering consumers.

At the prestigious British Business Angels Association awards dinner on 12 June 2006, 82ASK won an award for the Best Angel backed Business with Young Management. Read the rest of this entry »