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.

Best Buy Knows Where Its At- The Future is Digital- The Future is Now

Case Study: Public Relations and the FBI: How Social Media is Changing the Game

My friends over at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and I say friends because Criminal Minds has become my alternate reality, call PR folks like you and I ... POI’s [Public Information Officers]. Its no Secret Agent, but I’ll take it. 


Being a creature of curiosity, I have taken it upon myself to delve into the lives of these POI’s. I expected doing PR for the FBI would be interesting, but I never realized that POI’s have the power to advance or retract a case. They are just as important and critical to the case as the Secret Agents themselves. 



What begs the question here is How has social media changed the playing field for the FBI ? Does it work for them? Or has it complicated matters beyond no end? 



Before I dare attempt to answer that, lets take a journey on how we got here, on how traditional methods of PR have been employed with the Bureau and the guidelines to follow for each. 


Stop 1: The Press Release

SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK: The Triple Treat

SOCIAL MEDIA WEEK
With Social Media Week starting in about a week, I am getting a little excited yet furious that I will be unable to attend any events. Sorry Toronto, but your lineup falls far from the tree. 
These are my top 3 events of choice to attend.
NEW YORK CITY

This was a tough one. It’s NYC. The centre of ALL the action. If I had the funds to get there I would be at every panel across the board. With SO many great panels and presentations, if I had to pick just one, it would be “Digital Culture NYC: Breaking Down the Walls” hosted by MoMa. If anyone knows how to shake things up, its NYC, and what better way to recognize that than by turning your attention inward and recognizing the role NYC has had in the social shakeup we all love oh so very much.

LONDON

Hands down, the “Tuttle Club”. The Tuttle Club is a social media cafe in London setting the bar high for the changing landscape of our typical “coffee” setup. The Way I See It: Starbucks better watch out!
BERLIN

Well, as much as we love to put it all out there and be connected and open with one another, always remember what your mama told ya, SAFETY FIRST ! That’s why my pick for Berlin is “Private In Social- Let’s Talk About Privacy” Really, I bet 1 out of 10 people understand what we are really signing up for everytime we tweet or post a pic on facebook. What you put out there doesn’t always come across the way you intend, or to whom for that matter. But hey, if you always wanted a Big Brother than skip this event :)

Go to http://socialmediaweek.org/ to find out about many other AMAZING events. What’s you number one pick?

PR Industry Bulletproof to Recession

For those of you that have it in your head that when times get tough it's us PR people that get a lovely visit from George Clooney to tell us our jobs are no longer needed... think again! Sorry ladies!
Truth of the matter is, that the recent recession has boosted the demand and reputation of Public Relations ... for the better!
According to The Economist corporate demand has never been higher.

” In contrast to other forms of marketing and media, spending on PR has increased over the past couple years. By 2013, PR spending in America will surpass $8 billion,

Why you ask? I'll tell you.
* PR is often cheaper than mass advertising campaigns
* Its impact, in the media or online, can be more easily measured
* Lead runners in the changing media landscape
* Social Media compatible
* Significant Increase in companies that need HELP

Click here to read the full story from The Economist

Photo Courtesy Paramount Pictures