Jingle gets new bandleader

I refuse to pay for it … directory assistance, that is, you foul-minded readers.

So the sales pitch from Jingle Networks made immediate sense when the company made its debut last fall at Network World’s DEMO conference:  Need a number? Dial 1-800-FREE 411.

There is a catch, naturally: You’ll have to listen to a 12-second commercial before getting your digits, but as they say, that’s a small price to pay.

Yesterday Jingle announced that George Garrick will be the company’s new CEO, replacing founder Scott Kliger, who stays on as a director and chief technology officer. Garrick had been president and CEO of Wine.com, so Jingle employees have every right to expect boffo holiday parties.

It’s always difficult to judge the early performance of these fledgling companies, and they don’t get any more fledgling than the startups that poke their beaks out at DEMO. But a knowledgeable source tells me this morning that Jingle has been ringing up tremendous growth through word of mouth and free media (including a runway walk on The Tyra Banks Show).

There’s just something about free.