Did a little more 'search on the Steiner Boys. The new version of Tom Palomino, Sam Enriquez, led me to Resolute Digital. This is the company that does this SEO shit for Steiner and other companies.

One of the blogs on their site (besides Sam's) talks about the rules of spamming. In it, they say talk about their "policy" based on the FTC rules:

Whenever a representative of Resolute Digital posts a comment on a blog, Twitter, Facebook, or other forum for user generated content, the representative will acknowledge that he or she works for the agency or client. Anonymous posting is not permitted.

Example: [...] Rather than post a comment like, “I’ve found a great new iPhone app, iPlay ‘n Learn&trade, which really helps small children learn to create alphabet characters,” we should write, “My client, Parents’ Magazine, has a great new iPhone app, iPlay ‘n Learn&trade, that uses the unique features of the phone to train small children to draw alphabet characters.”

So you see the guidelines Tom was using with his "my client, Steiner Sports" comments.

And I was going to end the post by just pointing out that they are doing it the legal way, slimy as it is to fool people the way they do. It's like they thought, "Okay, we've been given the new rules, so here's what we can do to get around them. Bombs away!"

BUT! Then I noticed that Resolute-ster Sam Enriquez is breaking the rules (the laws) that are so clearly defined for him! Check out the type of thing he's been writing on Yankee blogs:

I never thought the Yankees would take the series once again, I will have to sell my Yankees Memorabilia and make a fortune.

No mention of the client name. Just a blatant attempt to fool people into clicking the link and buying crap. (And with none of the insight Tom Palomino brought to the table! Wow, who'd have thought I'd be defending that shapeshifter?)

So now we've got Resolute doing Steiner's dirty work, annoying bloggers and fooling readers, and breaking the law in the process. From there we've got Steiner's people seemingly bidding on their own crap. Gettin' shadier and shadier....


[Here's my original post on this. And here's the second one you may have missed from Thanksgiving weekend.]