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Ad Agencys New Live Video Chat Makes Employees SelfConsciousBetter...

Facebook Fugetaboutit. Twitter Twhatever. With the launch of its new website featuring live streaming video chat, renegade Chicago ad agency Plan B has relegated text-driven social media to the so 2008 file, along with David Cook, Bear Stearns and Slumdog Millionaire.

Injecting a hyper-real dose of fishbowl creepiness into the World Wide Web, the video chat function at thisisplanb.com (www.thisisplanb.com) lets visitors spy on agency employees live, in real time, as they perform their daily work.

Yeah, I don'st even have a My Space or anything, so this whole thing is like -- whoa, said Creative Director Bill Anderson. I had one guy chat me who'sd been watching me eat my breakfast. He asked me about my bagel.

Other members of the Plan B team see the video chat function as incentive to redouble their efforts at fastidious personal hygiene. I walked out of the house without shaving the other morning, and then I remembered the video chat, says Pat Miller, Business Development Director. I walked five blocks back home and shaved. That'ss when I noticed the nose hairs.

I'sm seeing an aesthetician this Saturday.

But apart from cruelly exposing the deepest insecurities of Plan B employees, the video chat function is -- astonishingly -- serving its intended purpose admirably.

We'sve had several business inquiries through the chat, says Agency Partner Ric Van Sickle. And we'sre getting great feedback from everyone who sees it.

If advertising is all about generating buzz, he says, We'sre officially a beehive.

Plus, one of our art directors was asked out on a date through it. So it'ss definitely having an impact.

The video chat has proven such a hit, Plan B plans to expand its capabilities in the future. And we'sre thinking of putting on some mime shows, maybe something like Blue Man Group. Just to keep things interesting, Miller says.

If you'sd like to see what goes on inside Chicago'ss most voyeuristic ad agency, log on to thisisplanb.com (www.thisisplanb.com) anytime Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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