Upcoming Events

If I had a private jet and a loaded bank account, I would definitely be checking out these upcoming industry events.

Social Fresh
April 19, 2010, St. Louis, MO
The social media conference for marketers, focus on case studies and what social media can really do for business bottom lines.
The sessions and speakers will strongly reflect all Social Fresh flagship events with big brands and real social media success stories, all specifically for marketing professionals. More case studies, less concept.

New Comm Forum
April 20-23, 2010, San Mateo, CA
The premier conference for unlocking the power of social media and new communications tools and technologies to enhance your digital marketing strategies


FITC 2010: The Design and Technology Fest
April 25-27, 2010, Toronto, ON:
FITC Toronto is an information blitz of over 70 presentations, demonstrations and panel discussions covering the Creative, Technical and Business aspects of Flash and digital media.

Twitter Sells Out

According to the Financial Times, Twitter has just announced they are now playing in Google's digital marketing world. Twitter is closely following Google's game plan of slowly building a user base, before gently introducing a system of advertising that seeks to match commercial messaging with individuals' interests. The new strategy is called "Promoted Tweets".

It will allow brands to place a short message at the top of the list of search results when users of the microblogging website look for information about a particular product, company or news event. To read more about Twitters digital strategy click here.

Ok, I get it, the world is driven by money - but come on, is this really necessary. One of the most appealing features about Twitter is its brevity. Now that this ball is going, there is no telling where it will go. Twitter considered yourself warned.

Meet my new man, TED

When a stranger recently introduced me to TED.com, I had no idea he was playing matchmaker. TED.com rocks. It blows YouTube out of the water. Short for Technology. Entertainment, Design, TED is devoted to "ideas worth spreading". Its kinda like wikipedia, but in video.

Instead of watching kittens on a treadmill, you can watch real experts talk about just about any subject imaginable. Imagine that, using the internet to actually learn something other than how to best take care of your crops in Farmville. Life changing I know. I can't recommend it enough. What subject matter will you watch?

Eat, Tweet, Repeat

Don't get me wrong, I love social media and many (not all) of the things it has to offer. But sometimes, and this has happened more than once now, I fall completely out of love with everything about it.
The thought of someone tweeting, or creeping facebook, or watching youtube videos, and so on, I just can't take it.
But then other times I can't get enough I tweet 5 times an hour, and find many other ways to engage. Others can attest to this, but when I am in this state, I become obsessed!

Is this just me or is there a reasonable explanation to this? Perhaps social media, like many other things is like pizza. You order the pizza from your favourite place with your favourite toppings, and you eat a few slices and it tastes great. But then, even though you are full you go back for one more, and that puts you over the edge. The very smell, sight or thought of that pizza makes you feel nauseated. But then you digest a little, and the pizza doesn't look that bad anymore, and after a little bit- you go back for more.

Maybe I am just digesting social media. Taking a healthy break to realize I got a good thing going on. Who knows really. At the end of the day, I think it is safe to say that there is more love than hate and I almost always go back for another slice.

Apple Revolution

I like Apple, and I sure do like Revolutions. So naturally I would combine two of my favourite things. Throw on some Beatles, a mild tribute to Apple's "Think Different" campaign and some great moments that have happened in recent history, and there you have it folks - An Apple Revolution!!!!

What keeps us social is inspiration. So, get inspired and create some magic!!!!!!!!!

Social Since 1505.

Social media, it only took you 500 years.


Ever wonder where the word “social” originated from? I do. What occupies a significant portion of our day, ok, of our hour, has been in the making since 1505.

 The word “social” originated in 1505 and is derived from the latin word socius meaning “united, living with others.”

Socius also means follower, which by no surprise is related to the word sequi, meaning “to follow” - Hrm. Followers and following, sound familiar anyone? 

In 1695 “social” meant pertaining to society as a natural condition of human life. 



What does social mean to you in 2010? Better yet, what did it mean to you 10, 15 years ago for those of you that can remember?

Enjoy the Scenery, While It Lasts! - The Changing Landscape of What We Know...

The video was produced by information design consultancy XPLANE for The Economist Media Convergence Forum in New York.

Top Five Reads for Social Media Strategists

So here's a little trivia for you. Sometimes I just crave a book. I think I just like the feeling. I know its hard, but remember the days when "notebooks" meant paper binded together, and "on line" meant your cursive writing stayed within the lines given on the page. Does anyone even know what cursive writing is anymore? Which begs the question does anyone read books anymore?

Oh technology, as much as I embrace you, I hate you :) So, I guess we have a healthy relationship. ANYHOW what I am getting at is that I went "on line" to look for a good read on social media strategies and to my surprise there is an overwhelming amount of material out there! It was refreshing to say the least. After picking through the #$%!, I've come up with my list of the Top Five Reads for Social Media Strategists.

1. Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
First off, just have to say Chris Brogan has one of the best blogs out there right now. He's brilliant.
Trust Agents is a new breed of influencers who can yield a great deal of influence in today’s Web 2.0 world.

2. Six Pixels of Separation. Everyone is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone. by Mitch Joel
You want strategies and tactics on how this all works. This book is FULL of case studies.

3. Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR by Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge
It's Brian Solis. Really. Need I say more?

4. Yes We Did! An Inside Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand (Voices That Matter Series)
The Obama campaign was revolutionary in more ways than one. But if your serious about social media and its potential, this is definatley worth your time.

5. Readers choice, what is your recommendation????