Category

Media

Sep 22
Love0

Facebook Changes to Recapture the Emotional Experience: Get Ready to Get Uncomfortable

By Media, Public Relations

I had trouble sleeping last night, not an unusual condition but the unfortunate combination of Dexter in the background as I worked and monitoring of the Troy Davis story as it unfolded. When I did fitfully sleep between 4am and 7am or so (as has become my custom) I had nightmares full of murder and blood.

And I’m OK with that.

I don’t inject politics into my online presence; I’m a business owner and a PR person — I know that’s not appropriate. But as a human being I’m not bothered by telling you that I’m against the death penalty. As an American I will tell you that I think we (the Supreme Court, the justice system, America) failed last night and that troubles me, and it should.

It’s my custom (job, habit) to stay connect to my social networks almost constantly. I was fascinated, then, to watch a division of content unfold. The conversation on Facebook appeared wrapped up in the many layout changes the platform introduced yesterday. You may have heard; people didn’t like them. This series of status updates had a span of uninteresting to “eyeroll.”

On Twitter the conversation was vastly different. Troy Davis was the topic, by and large, with other content looking like an intrusion, an interruption from the guy who enters a room and starts talking before taking a glance around. I learned from it, was enriched by it, moved by people I follow and the passion they shared with the rest of us. That’s important, because if nothing else, a social network should have the ability to move, mobilize and activate people for change. It should be a tool to bind us together for a common purpose. It should be a vehicle for communication when news is taking place right now and help is needed to save lives and make the world a better place.

There are early reports that Facebook’s recent changes are just the trailer for a full-length feature of changes about to debut. Mashable, a trustworthy source for social media news, reports that we should be prepared to see beginning this week. Ben Parr writes,

 

I have seen what Facebook is launching on Thursday, and it’s going to change the world of social media. And while I won’t talk about the mind-boggling things Facebook will be launching, I will say this: The Facebook you know and (don’t) love will be forever transformed. The news that will come out of Facebook during the next few weeks will be the biggest things to come out of the company since the launch of the Facebook Platform.

Parr continues to address Facebook’s growing problem of being able to tap into emotional engagement (which was demonstrated beautifully, coincidentally, last night.) What’s going to happen, is that the platform will evolve with a way to do this, and do it better than any other currently active platform.

We’ll see.

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/cnnbrk/status/116711628363407360″]
Sep 19
Love0

Quick, you Qwikster, Get Your Custom URLs STAT

By Communications, Media, Public Relations

This has happened several times: a client has engaged me to work with Twitter to try to capture a username that is their business name, that someone else is using.

Guess what? This isn’t easy, nor is it always possible. (I have been successful, but there are no guarantees.)

So it’s funny to me when a major brand like Netflix forgets one of the critical items on the business startup checklist: securing the business’s Twitter handle. Thanks to my friend Jamey for passing on this priceless bit.

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/BarlowBrewing/status/115788536669683713″]

 

From TechCrunch:

Movie delivery service Netflix has just announced that it is rebranding its DVD-by-mail service as Qwikster and that it will keep calling its streaming service Netflix. . . . Netflix, naively, has neglected to pin down the @Qwikster Twitter account before launch. The account is currently owned by somebody who chooses to best represent themselves as Elmo smoking a joint.

Whoa, boy. This gaffe is going to cost Netflix at the very least, some good weed.

Gentle reminder for businesses large and small — lock in your user names and custom URLs right now, today. Or someone else will.

While you’re at it – sign up for this Friday’s Twitter for Business workshop.

 Update: Netflix Abandons Qwikster

Sep 09
Love0

How the HIV/AIDS Conversation has Changed

By Communications, Media, Social Media

My friends Shawn and Gwenn began a joint career in 2000, educating teens and young adults about HIV and sexual health (Shawn is HIV positive; Gwenn is not). We met for coffee this week and talked about how the sexual health conversation has changed.

I learned that:

  • AIDS and HIV has become much less interesting to college campuses and other likely audiences; since AIDS patients manage the virus with a series of pharmaceuticals, the reputation of the virus has changed from that of a killer, to a “managed condition.” This is a false sense of security as people with AIDS are still at much higher risk of dying from a broad array of related causes, and is dangerous since it can lead to unsafe practices and spread of the virus.
  • Audiences (and the schools that fund them) are more interested in a broader sexual health conversation than focusing on HIV/AIDS. This opens potential new opportunities for the couple, particularly with the introduction of Gardasil, the HPV vaccine from Merck.
  • Sometimes, Shawn and Gwenn’s message isn’t welcome. Sometimes, there are pockets of denial; “our students aren’t having sex!” or groups that think that they’ve had all the sexual health education they need. That’s not really new, but has a resurgence when the country shifts to the right and has a stronghold in certain geographic areas. (No one has sex in the Bible belt, right?)

I’m interested, of course, in how students who are digital natives are learning; my guess is after friends, YouTube is a top educator. I’m not sure, as a parent, that I want my kids’ sexual health education to come from un-vetted sources (although I’m aware that has been the trend since sex itself became popular).

Shawn, also an author (My Pet Virus), has adopted social media outreach since before we even had definitions for it; a blogger back when blogging was “live journaling,” Shawn has successfully reached MANY living with AIDS or young couples with HIV positive diagnoses in their relationships. Adopters, too, of Facebook and Twitter, the couple makes their message available in all the channels where they can be found for those who may be searching.

There’s no substitute, however, for the message being delivered in person. A sponsor to make it possible for the couple to appear before more students nationwide would help extend safe sexual practices and hopefully, prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, improving the futures of a generation.

What other ways have you heard the conversation change about AIDS, HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases? As a parent, how will your kids get the sexual health information they need? As an adult, where did your education come from? Was it correct, or sufficient?


Sep 07
Love0

Communicating 9/11: How We Talk and Write About it Does Make A Difference

By Communications, Crisis Communications, Media, Public Relations

In 2007, I shared my very personal 9/11 story. That was also the year I was devastated to learn our daughter didn’t — wouldn’t believe that the events of that date actually happened.  She didn’t remember — was just young enough then, that her absorption of it was at a minimum. In 2008 we took her to the site, to ground zero and finally, it really sunk in.

9/11 was real.

As we approach the 10th anniversary of the acts of terrorism, the Associated Press has provided us with guidelines to use when referring to, speaking about or publishing about 9/11.

  • Flight 93: Acceptable in first reference for United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pa. Include airline name and context of crash in subsequent references. Flight 93 memorial is acceptable in all references for the Flight 93 National Memorial at the crash site.
  • ground zero: Acceptable term for the World Trade Center site.
  • The Sept. 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people: 2,753 in New York. Includes three later deaths from respiratory disease that have since been linked to illnesses caused by the towers’ collapse. 40 in Pennsylvania. 184 at the Pentagon. Total: 2,977 as of July 25, 2011. 2,983 names will be listed on the Sept. 11 memorial, including six who died in the 1993 World Trade Center truck bombing.

It’s important to remember, to be consistent in our storytelling and shared memories, to preserve and maintain the language with which we speak about the tragedies of that day, so generations later, history will not be rewritten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 06
Love0

UVa Football and its Effect on Doing Business in Charlottesville

By Communications, Media

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been to a UVa football game. I’m not what you’d call a huge football fan and so, be forewarned, when I do, inevitably end up at a game some time in the future, seat me near someone who doesn’t care if I chatter away the entire game. Except for halftime, of course. I revere marching bands.

So as oblivious as I seemingly am to college football in my college town, I’m not at all, really. The schedule for games is on my fridge; I’m aware of when everyone with whom I do business will be heading to a game. I know when orange and blue are appropriate to wear (and where). I know when to avoid the grocery store and stocking up tailgaters.

You can’t, in other words, live in a college town and completely ignore football. In St. Louis, there was a similar impact on business with the St. Louis Cardinals (I am, despite my football apathy, a major league baseball fan). Opening day in the spring in St. Louis is a regional holiday; no one works and everyone watches, listens to and celebrates baseball.

What regional reasons for celebrating shut down your business? How do you change your behavior with clients and customers on or around game day?