Quick hits: Pinterest, Twitter and what is Carnival thinking???
Some quick hitters for a Tuesday:
We (Britt Farrah @saidlikefarrah) and I started our second semester teaching social media at VCU yesterday some interesting observations from questions we asked our predominantly PR majors…
- Most of them preferred Twitter over Facebook and other social media platforms. In the couple of years that I’ve been asking college students this question, this is the first time ever that they selected Twitter. In fact, this is the first time that most of the class even was “on” Twitter. Maybe this is because the class is made up of PR majors but maybe this is a change in social media course. We shall see….
- I asked if they ever heard of Pinterest (my new social media obsession) and not a surprise but most of the women raised their hands. The “pinning” platform is all the rage of the female set. What was surprising is how some of the women expressed an almost obsessive relationship with the platform, spending hours pinning. I for one am waiting for my Gentlemint invite to come in the email.
Finally, not related to the class but to PR in general, is Carnival Cruise lines smoking crack or what?
All I got on a Tuesday….you?
Facebook’s Timeline Cover is valuable brand space
Time to get on my PR/social media soup box and proclaim from on high:
IF YOU ARE A BRAND, COMPANY OR ORGANIZATION AND NOT MAKING IT EASY FOR FOLKS TO SHOW YOUR “COLORS” THROUGH THEIR TIMELINE COVER THEN SHAME ON YOU!
So what do I mean when I say “show your colors?” My current example (below) comes from my own timeline which is now sporting art work supplied by my fellow Springsteen fans promoting his new album coming out in March.
Think of the “cover” as the new expanded billboard version of your profile picture (interesting article on it here). Now instead of changing your profile picture to show your allegiance to a cause, team or organization or to promote an upcoming event, you can have it live separately on your cover. It’s also takes about three seconds to change the cover so you can switch it out pretty easily.
Since people will now see someone’s Timeline when they seek them out on Facebook, think of how important the cover can be in the promotion of a brand, cause, team or event. It’s really a low-cost no-brainer. All you have to do is create and supply your evangelists with the artwork and let them do the viral work for you by sending the photo or illustration to all their friends.
Off the soap box now. Please return to your normal Friday schedules.
Is Facebook getting way to complicated?
Great time yesterday presenting for our client, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, at two marketing/communications seminars about the current state of social media. These sessions, which the FCEDA provides to anyone, are a great way for businesses and organizations large and small to learn the latest about advertising, PR, social media, etc.
Because of the wide range of businesses and groups represented it’s hard to cover all the bases on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging, etc. but our main focus for this group was Facebook. Mainly because of the sheer numbers of Facebook members and the fact that’s where most marketers start to develop their social media communities.
As usual we got lots of questions based on the changes Facebook has made in the last year: Timeline, Ticker, EdgeRank, changes to advertising and privacy. Frankly after each of the two-hour sessions it was amazing that we didn’t see more heads literally spinning out of the room.
And then last night Facebook launched Facebook Actions, which will add more action verbs to the Facebook experience, making “like” look tame in comparison.
It all got me thinking this morning, is Facebook becoming too complicated for its own good?
I know the end game is about monetizing the platform but by focusing on ways to make money off the big brands will Facebook make it too difficult for the little guy to market to his or her customers? In addition will all these new walls, tickers, apps and buttons make it too difficult for the core Facebook user, use Facebook period?
One on side, we seem to complain about Facebook changes, get used to them after a while, and then six months later wonder why we even complained in the first place. But one the other side, when does too much really become too much?
I’d love for you to answer that question in the comment section below. I’m going to be watching this one pretty carefully in the coming months.
Paula Deen’s diabetes PR disaster, ya’ll
Editor’s note: This post is a guest post from THP’s “Employee Number One” Stacey Brucia, who mans New York PR and social media outpost.
I’ve been watching CNN today and now have NY local news on in the background. And a top story of the day is Anthony Bourdain’s tweet that’s a hit against Paula Deen. It’s follow-up story to Deen’s announcement yesterday that she is a spokesperson for a diabetes drug company. I’d name then, but then I’m giving them more PR.
And that’s what I’m arguing against/feeling some disgust about. As someone in PR, of course I have to credit the drug company for the publicity that they’re getting for securing Deen as spokeswoman…TODAY, countless mentions on CNN, pretty much every major outlet around. It’s more than a PR grandslam as far as getting the drug’s name out. For that, I can be in a little bit of awe.
Courtesy: The Today Show
But from an ethical standpoint, both the company and Paula have gone too far. It’s hypocritical: A woman who loves to cook with butter, sugar and pretty much every bad-for-you agreement is now giving implied medical advice (and earning money) by endorsing a drug for a disease that can be prevented with healthier eating habits. No, I’m not a doctor, but I think that’s generally understood.
I’m not sure if there’s a competitor product to the drug that Deen has endorsed but, if so, I hope that those who need that type of medication support another company.
For my part, I’m glad there are not any Paula Deen cookbooks on my shelf. Sometimes, I would watch her Food Network shows as pure entertainment…look at all that butter!! No more.
BTW, Paula, saying that you’ve given up sweet tea as a talking point doesn’t make the fact that you’re a diabetes spokesman any better.
The Year of “E”
I’ve been looking for a reason to fire up the blog and for a way to wrap up the self-proclaimed “Year of Me.”
Yes, I did catch a lot of crap for announcing that the year in which I’d be celebrating my 50th birthday would have a selfish theme.
Yes, I did have a great year personally thanks to my wife, my kids, my business partner and fellow Hodgers.
Yes, the year was challenging in other ways that I won’t bore you with but I think I’ve learned a great deal from those challenges and they have made me a better person.
Credit: Sports Illustrated
It highlighted the life of Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand and his battle to recover from a hit on the football field that left him paralyzed. It was a reminder that life is short and to live it to the fullest.
I think I’ve accomplished many of the goals I set out in that list. But my accomplishments pale in comparison to those Eric achieved in the last 12 months.
He can now sit up with some help. He is an accomplished broadcaster with appearances on all the networks and on Rutgers football games. He is a social media star. And he is a team leader. Most importantly, he is regaining more sensation and feeling in his body each day.
To illustrate all of those accomplishments, readers of Sports Illustrated selected the photo of Eric leading his team on the field against West Virginia on a snowy October day as the cover of the magazine’s “Photos of the Year” issue that comes out next week.
In a world with too few heroes, Eric LeGrand is one of mine. He has taken a life-altering hit and turned it into inspiration for all.
At Rutgers that inspiration is summed up in the phrase “bELieve 52,” a tribute to Eric’s belief that he will one day walk again and the number that he wears.
So this holiday season as you run from place to place and get those last-minute errands done, take a minute and just bELieve. Here’s a great place to donate to support Eric and his family.
And pay tribute to The Year of “E.”
Looking for inspiration
Where do you look for inspiration?
For example, I’ve been trying to inspire myself to get into a more regular blogging rhythm. I’ve also tried to be a source of inspiration for others as we’ve had lots of “churn” recently at THP with clients coming and going and assignments and roles changing with that churn.
It’s not always easy and I sometimes I find myself in sort of an inspiration rut. Let’s face it, even those he’s The Boss and all there’s only so many times you can listen to Badlands to recharge your batteries.
Some people turn to their faith, some to their families, some to music, some to relaxation.
Some people like me, try to mix things up a bit and get their energy from new projects or assignments as a way to light that fire.
So in this time where the economy has sucked for a while, where we’re still banging our heads against the wall on the same local issues we’ve been dealing with for years, and we (at least we are) moving us and our kids around at the speed of light, where do we turn?
Where do you turn? I’d love to know.
#Rutgers app: Labor of love
Those who know me, even those who have just met me once or twice, know I bleed Scarlet.
It seems I was born a Rutgers Scarlet Knight with most of my family members having attended the State University of New Jersey.
My first memory of attending a sporting event is as a five-year-old jamming into my dad’s green Chrysler New Yorker (the world’s largest car) and riding to West Point to see the Knights face off against Army. He must have had to stop at least three times for me to puke because of car sickness.
Rutgers sports was one of my paternal bonds. I remember trying to watch basketball on New Jersey Network and trying to adjust the old VHS antenna to try to stabilize the picture and the snowy reception. Living in North Jersey back in the day, it was tough to get WCTC-AM, at the time the only radio station carrying Rutgers sports. So we’d stick the big transistor radio outside the window and contort our bodies in weird directions to get the best signal trying to listen to broadcasts in the Final Four year of 1976.
In later years (late 70′s and 80′s) my dad would do the same as he tried to listen to me as an undergrad, broadcasting football and basketball games on WRSU-FM, the student radio station. As I grew older, technology advanced, and I moved to Virginia and Tennessee. We’d be able to watch games on satellite and then listen to them online while sharing our commentary with each other on the phone.
When Tim Pernetti became Rutgers Athletic Director a few years ago, one of the first things he articulated was a vision for a broadband network where Rutgers fans could go online and watch games live, get taped interviews, etc. He also envisioned it as a training ground for student broadcasters. That was about the same time my dad’s health began to decline and within the year he passed away.
As I have mentioned in this space before, it was only natural that we would honor dad by supporting KnightVision financially, helping its growth. As a result I was about to get to know Tim, Jason Baum, Colin Osbourne and others in Rutgers athletics who are passionate about expanding the reach of all Scarlet Knights sports through new technologies.
Rutgers iPad app magazine-style page
At the same time, we at Hodges were starting our new venture Hodges Digital Strategies, a social media and digital design and development company. Our main products beside social media consulting are Facebook landing pages and apps and mobile apps, particularly for iPhones and iPads.
For me it was a no-brainer and a labor of love to collaborate with Tim and his team on an app designed from the fans point of view. The main goal was to include the ability to embed the live streaming video from KnightVision (now renamed RVision) into the app so that fans could watch games and events on their phones and tablets.
After a year or so of fits and starts, today Rutgers Athletics announced the launch of the apps (they will be in the App store in about a week). This post is my way of thanking Tim, Jason, Colin and all the folks at Rutgers for the hard work, and thanking my partners and folks at Hodges Digital Strategies (especially Sonali and Pradeep) who willingly made the countless changes I request.
The app accomplishes two things, it make Rutgers sports accessible to its fans anywhere in the world and it shows the great capabilities of our new company. I’m thrilled on both counts.
For Rutgers fans, I hope you enjoy the app and its features. Please give us your feedback so we can make it better over time.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had to stick the out transistor radio out the window, this app makes sure we’ll never have to do that again.
Things I learned during my blog’s summer vacation.
Okay…so it’s been a while. Shoot me.
Rather than start things with a great PR or social media proclamation, let’s ease back into the swing of things with some random thoughts on things that have popped into my brain over the course of the last few weeks.
- There will never be a plan for Shockoe Bottom.
- Google+ is interesting but I’m still waiting to see the business applications for it.
- You can only stave off your wife and kids wanting a new dog for so long.
- There are members of Richmond’s social media community who really need to get over themselves.
- It’s amazing how many people will help others find a job in our “creative” community if you ask them.
- Alcohol tastes really good when drunk out of a mason jar.
- The Mets have the amazing ability to keep my attention just long enough to get me to football season.
- You can never have too much new business on the table.
- Amber Naslund is a great social media leader and an even better human being.
- College Football is about to change in a geometric way.
- Bruce will never be able to replace the BigMan, but we need a tour any way.
- Children will survive two weeks at sleep away camp.
- Our Pig Pickin on October 15th will definitely “kick things up a notch” (you’re all invited, BTW).
- My wife is wonderful and is making “The Year of Me” a year I will never forget.
This fall should be exciting with work stuff and teaching a social media course at VCU but I promise to gear up the blog again if for no other reason than to be an example for the students in our class.
Random Friday thoughts, snarky and unsnarky
It’s summer, it’s a Friday, it’s time for random thoughts…
- Sat down with a long-time client and friends this week and as a result I’m pledging to become more of a “partner” with my clients moving forward. It is something we have to remind ourselves about from time to time but at the end of the day their success is our success.
- I’m hoping that Richmond’s wildly successful Social Media Club is not becoming just another group that just enjoys hearing more about each other than from others who can truly help social and digital grow and evolve.
- Wondering why the Mets can’t diagnose their star players injuries.
- I’m very intrigued by the intersection of sports and social/digital and why sports teams and school are leaving a considerable amount of money on the table and not truly engaging their fan base.
- How many groups and organizations need to be created to try to get Richmond to embrace its creativity. Why can’t all those groups get together and focus their energies? That would be truly creative. (Full disclosure, THP is working with one of those groups)
Time to “clear the mechanism.”
What move is that line from?
Interesting story on Mashable about a study in the UK that says 20 percent or so of grandparents use social networks.
If the Newman household is a case study I would say that’s pretty true. My daughter is spending the week with her grandparents and I’ve be FaceTime-ing with her and in the background I can see my mother-in-law playing on her iPad. She hasn’t graduated to Facebook or Twitter yet but some of our aunt and uncles who are also grandparents have.
Now from experience I will tell you that trying to talk them through how to download an APP is a totally different experience and definitely not for the faint of heart. 
