Industry analysts speculate the Facebook acquisition of MySpace is driven by several key factors: One, to secure the personal data of nearly 34 million still active accounts to expand the Facebook ad network reach and exposure. Two, to enable users to check into bands/performances on MySpace using Facebook Places. Three, acquire the graphics and user interface (UI) design expertise offered by MySpace personnel.

“The addition of 34 million users, many in the music industry, will help Facebook reach our goal of 750 million accounts by the end of 2011. Having the talented MySpace design/UI staff on our bench is exciting as we consider page layout and design renovations later this year,” reports Zuckerburg. “I’m also thrilled to announce a branding initiative to rename Facebook to better reflect our new identity. As of July 2011, Facebook will change it’s name to ‘SpaceBook’ to better reflect our personality and market coverage area.

Quoting famed British scientist Stephen Hawking, “I see too many dangers for the human race,” warns Zuckerberg. “I believe that the long-term future of SpaceBook must include alien beings” he said. “It will be difficult to sustain a social networking site on planet Earth in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand, or million. Plus our advertisers simply demand more gross impressions than available human beings on Earth.”

For complete coverage of this breaking story, click here.

Print PDF

The website’s “My Candice Design” theme is implemented throughout with exclusive, Candice Olson-recommended furniture and fabrics.  The design gallery offers a variety of inspirations sure to get your creativity flowing.  Seriously, Candice and Norwalk Furniture know what they’re doing — their stuff is gorgeous.

On a personal level, I have to especially compliment Norwalk Furniture for their teamwork, resolve, trust and sheer ability to get things done.  Having worked in web development for 15-years, I’ve rarely seen such a disparate group of internal stakeholders (marketing, accounting, designers, IT, consultants, photographers and management) work so uniformly and with such a cooperative, positive attitude. The website is complicated.  There are an incredible number of behind-the-scenes details to make everything come together for such a high-touch, online commerce experience.  This was truly a group effort that got the mission accomplished.

So if you’re a Candice Olson fan whose always dreamed of making your home a little more divine, you’re now just a few clicks away — MyCandiceDesign.com

Print PDF

Based on my highly unscientific pondering, I’ve developed the following Top 10 personality traits of successful social media practitioners:

1) Enthusiasm –  If you’re not geeked about your subject, no one else will be.  Seriously, you need to reach through a computer screen to grab peoples’ attention.  People with laissez-faire or sarcastic attitudes need not apply.

2) Connected Thinking – Social media doesn’t serve up ideas or opportunities on a silver platter; at best, you’re one or two degrees away.  You have to identify unpolished gems of insight that can be developed into big ideas or invaluable connections.

3) Synthesis – When doing social media monitor or research, there’s a boatload of input and data.  Your job is to synthesize the fragmented, pieces-parts into actionable insights.  Tools can help you collect and sift through data, but it’s up to you to develop a more meaningful whole.

4) Contemporary – Are you the “go-to” person when people need something — anything?  You need to read, be immersed in your industry subject matter and ready to create content/ideas/opinions in the same social space.  If you’re running a blog, you’d better be an active participant on many others.

5) Caring – Of course you need to be a subject matter expert, but people don’t care how much you KNOW until you SHOW much you CARE.  You have to prove you’re more interested in helping others than yourself.  View money as the reward you get for adding value to other people.  Think karma.

6) Storyteller – Can you weave a good story together?  Websites are great places for sales and data sheets, but social media demands a voice and personality.  Mad-lib’esque press releases are not welcome.  Candid writing – succinct and without embarrassing spelling/grammar mistakes – is rewarded.

7) Brand Master – Are you comfortable with the brand spirit of your organization?  It MUST be your guide when communicating online.  You’re a living, speaking ambassador of your company’s brand.  You cool with that?  Hope so!

8 ) Internal Advocacy – While much of social media is public facing, rallying support of your efforts is critical to a sustained, credible presence online.  Let’s face it — you’re going to need access to a lot of people in your organization for content and answers.  Do you have what it takes to lobby internally on behalf of customers online?

9) Responsiveness & Consistency – Time is one helluva test.  You need to stay in touch with online communications and reply in a timely manner.  Inviting customer interaction and then not responding conveys an “Ivory tower” impression which is infuriating.  Timely responses and contributions offered consistently over time builds credibility and authenticity in the online world.

10) Curiosity – Finally, you must, must, must be curious.  Our world is rapidly changing and you’re just fingertips away from the next great idea, contact, customer or idea.  But they don’t present themselves — you have to connect the dots out of curiosity to create something far greater than the sum of the parts.

We’re living in exciting times.  Social media is such an alluring opportunity.  What other traits do YOU think are essential?  Please post them in a comment below.  Thanks!

Print PDF

Skeptical to their practicality, I first experimented with QR codes during the 2010 SXSW Interactive Conference.  Chevrolet featured their new Cruze model by tagging the vehicle with numerous QR code stickers.  Passersby simply scanned the codes with their smart phones which immediately displayed a mobile version of the Chevy Cruze website — screen captures below:

After a quick scan of the QR code, your mobile phone browser automatically displays the following screens — pulling from the Cruz mobile website.

While I’m confident the Chevy Cruze QR code program was a pilot project, it’s a great example of digital content enhancing the “real world.”  In addition to (literally) kicking the wheels on the Cruze, I watched customized videos on the car’s safety features, fuel economy and amenities — all great complements to the hands-on experience.

I’m typically jaded about newfangled gadgets and gimmicks, but I can see QR codes having a surprisingly robust future for the following reasons:

1. Existing Technology — It’s not an “on-the-horizon” vaporware promise.  It’s available right now.  All you need is a smartphone with QR code reader installed.  Some popular and inexpensive QR apps are QuickMark, NeoReader, Optiscan and i-nigma (which I use).  With cameras on nearly all mobile phones nowadays, I fully expect QR code reading technology to be a standard component in the near future.
2. Fun – There’s a game feeling when you scan a code to unveil its secret.  What an opportunity for marketers to extend the brand “story” off a product tag and onto a personal device!?  Imagine a customer watching a “behind the scenes” interview with Bono, a co-founder of the EDUN clothing initiative, after scanning an EDUN t-shirt or point-of-purchase display.
3. On Trend –Museums have been using similar functionality for years.  Buy your admission ticket, rent an “audio tour phone,” then punch in specific exhibit numbers as you tour the facility at your own pace.  QR codes can allow the same thing — but with next generation video and interactivity.
4. Social Sharing — With built in sharing capability, it’s easy to post your QR findings to Facebook, Twitter, ad nauseam.  When my daughter scans various QR codes in Express, she can have the ability to share that activity with her friends via the QR application or or via Facebook connect.
5. Commerce — Can’t find the right product color or size?  A QR app could allow customers to check store inventory and order products for home or future in-store delivery.

So keep your eyes open for QR codes coming to business cards, real estate signs, festival schedule banners, product ingredient tags, point-of-purchase displays, print advertisements, movie screens and building locations near you.

Print PDF

Having attended SXSW last year, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Or perhaps more important, what NOT to expect. I think what drives the popularity of the event is the people and culture BEHIND technology and not the hardcore technologies themselves. If you’re looking for a tutorial on the latest and greatest server software, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want to hear the story (the failures, personalities, and inspirations) behind the newest Google innovation, you’re in the right spot. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about people — and so is SXSW.

That said, there were a few notable takeaways from SXSW 2010:

Geosocial Applications
Gowalla and foursquare are gaining serious traction. Both companies released upgrades days before the conference in preparation for this Spring Break for Geeks. With such a concentration of tech savvy users, SXSW is a veritable test lab for the latest and greatest ideas and gadgets. Everywhere I went, the first thing everyone did was “check in” to grab the cool little “badges.” Being somewhat skeptical about games that require me to announce my whereabouts, I must admit to being impressed. In the immediate sense, it was very handy seeing where other people were hanging out. It allowed for more chance encounters instead of firm meet-ups which is basically impossible at a chaotic event like SXSW. In the future, I can see incentives and gameplay evolving where users get actual rewards for performing normal daily tasks. Still in the “PONG-like” state of evolution, foursquare is already being used by coffeeshops who give free pastries to every person who checks in X-number of times. The biggest takeaway for me is the psychological power of gameplay. People like to be recognized as a leader (or “mayor” in foursquare) and they like mini-rewards for doing otherwise mundane tasks (picking up/dropping “badges”). The pieces-parts of these social games are just beginning surface. It’s going to be very interesting to see if these geosocial applications become the next “must have” in our daily lives like the darling of SXSW 2007 – Twitter.

Content Worth Talking About
Now that social media tools and technologies have been mainstream for over three years, attention is being focused on how to offer content that actually does something productive. The experimentation time with Facebook and Twitter is over. We’re now in the “what’s our SPECIFIC strategy and EXACTLY what content should be used” phase. There were two social psyhologists that were particularly interesting: Ben Scofield (”Mind Control: Psychology for the Web”) and Dan Ariely (”Perfectly Irrational”). Scofield offered the following rule(s) of thumb when developing Web site content:

• Likeability – Be likable (no kidding!)
• Social Proof – Show people what their peers are doing
• Authority – Demonstrate that you are trustworthy
• Reciprocity – Give people something for free
• Scarcity – Tell people when time is running out
• Commitment – Give people a low cost way to commit
• Decoy Effect – Make it easy to compare choices

The more your site can offer content that delivers on these points, the more persuasive and effective it will be.

@Anywhere
Finally, the big hullabaloo was Twitter’s announcement during the Monday keynote address by founder Ev Williams. Early speculation was that Twitter would unveil it’s new advertising model. Instead, Williams anticlimactically explained their new @anywhere service which will be rolled out to select publishers (such as the NY Times) in the near future. Basically @anywhere is a little overlay that will be on websites that allows you to follow somewhere directly from that site. Imagine reading an article, clicking on the author’s name and selecting “follow” via a popup window instead of visiting Twitter.com in another window (or a 3rd party app like Tweetdeck), searching for their name/handle and following. They’re basically trying to eliminate the disconnect between publishers and Twitter. Cool? Yes. Underwhelming. Very much so. But in true Twitter fashion, this understated release will probably be turned into something much more impressive and practical by 3rd party developers — just like the rest of Twitter’s history.

I’d highly recommend attending SXSW as it’s definitely a unique experience. Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes and stock up ahead of time on sleep. See you next year!

Print PDF

But I was left wondering where this device would “fit” in my life. It’s not a replacement for my phone. It doesn’t replace my laptop which I use for typical office work: Excel, Word, Photoshop, etc. And I can’t use public transportation (train or subway) to commute to work so I don’t have time to kill to play games, read magazines or books. So what is this thing?

Then it hit me: I could really enjoy an iPad in my kitchen. I never realized how much time our family spends in the kitchen. Like it our not, it’s the one room in my house where I “pivot” off throughout the day. I don’t particularly enjoy my kitchen — it’s a functional place where I HAVE to be doing food prep and clean-up, day-after-day. Rinse and repeat, literally. And while I’d enjoy some light entertainment in the kitchen, I’m not risking water/crumb damage to my laptop; plus, you have to tap keys and finger the trackpad which are no-no’s with dishpan hands. It’s just not right.

BUT, an iPad is different. It’s small and wouldn’t take up much countertop space. It doesn’t use keys and can be operated with a simple touch or swipe. I could listen to music, catch-up on Podcasts, passively watch some videos and the flip over to read Facebook posts or Twitter feeds. I’d use the iPad as a catch-as-catch-may entertainment device for quick snippets of content in between kitchen chores.

The iPad calendar system would also be a handy family organizer to keep track of after school activities, lessons, meetings, appointments, etc. A daily pop-up reminder would nice.

I’d love an app that offered video cooking lessons and recipes, especially for niches like “gluten free” recipes. Having it compile shopping lists for me based on the necessary ingredients would be sweet.

Face it, it’d be fun to work on an iPad crossword/Sudoku puzzle for a few minutes while you’re waiting for pizza to cook. Plus you could easily skim the day’s news and check school closings due to weather all while brewing your coffee. And, of course, while the kids eat their cereal, I could get a jump on the day’s email without leaving the room.

Now don’t get me wrong. I know all these things can be done on other devices including plain ol’ newspaper radio and TV, but it’s the all-in-one, instant availability and ease-of-use that’s enticing. And no, I don’t need a computer in every room of my house. But you must admit, the kitchen is a “work room” for most families. So if there’s a way to make it more productive and enjoyable, I’ll definitely consider it.

What do you think?

Print PDF

December 1, 2009 marked the day the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) implemented its new “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” The guides address endorsements by consumers, experts, organizations, and celebrities, plus the disclosure of important connections between advertisers and endorsers. The FTC spent two years making these revisions, so it’s safe to say they’ll be more vigilant about cracking down on those who fail to comply.

Why the Revision…
Quite simply, the document was getting stale and the update was long overdue. The previous version had not been touched for 20+ years and the guides weren’t developed to include trends such as Internet advertising, viral marketing or consumer blogs.

As our media environment continues to morph and social media ramps up in intensity, advertisers no longer fully control the endorsements being made. It’s becoming easier for regular consumers and celebrities to make off-the-cuff comments about products or companies – intentionally or inadvertently. Because of this, the FTC implemented changes to the guides to continue protecting consumers from false and misleading advertisements.

Endorsement vs. Testimonial…
In the past, a celebrity made an endorsement and an average consumer made a testimonial. Now, the term endorsement is practically synonymous with testimonial. The FTC defines an endorsement as any advertising message that consumers are likely to believe reflects the opinions, beliefs, findings or experiences of a party other than the sponsoring advertiser, even if the views expressed are identical to those of the sponsoring advertiser.

What Changed…
1. Results not typical disclaimers (Think Weight Watchers, Subway, etc.)

• “Results not typical” is no longer a safe harbor, especially for weight-loss messages
• Advertisements now have to be substantiated and disclose what the typical result is for the average consumer

2. Disclosure of material connections

• The connection (payment, free products) between the endorser and company must be identified.
• Disclosure is only necessary when the comment could influence a consumer’s opinion, positively or negatively.
• Example: Lance Armstrong partnered with FRS Healthy Energy to promote their energy drink. If he talks about this supplement on Oprah, he has to explain he’s a paid endorser. Two ways to accomplish this: the disclaimer can be in the end credits, or the endorser can weave into conversation that he is endorsing the product. The same thing applies to Twitter or Facebook messages; the connection must be disclosed either in the person’s profile or directly in their comment (Most celebrities aren’t doing this…yet).

3. Liability of advertisers

• Advertisers and endorsers are both liable for false/misleading/unsubstantiated claims.
• It is the endorser’s responsibility to make sure the message they are delivering is accurate, and to disclose their material connection to the product or company they’re endorsing.

Proceed with Caution…
If you, as a consumer, blog about the great cup of coffee and outstanding service you received at your neighborhood Starbucks on your way to work, you’re indirectly endorsing the product. If Starbucks sees your message and sends you a coupon to say thanks, you’re not liable. You become a sponsored endorser when Starbucks reaches out and asks you to talk about or review their product in exchange for free coffee – now you’re responsible for disclosing the relationship.

An easy way to protect yourself is to add a “Terms of Use” page to your blog outlining that you are not a professional or expert and aren’t affiliated with the companies mentioned in your blog. That’s also where you can include the products or companies you do endorse or support and whether or not you are paid for those messages. You can get a free disclosure policy from www.disclosurepolicy.org.

Quick Reminder…
While it’s in your best interest to comply with the guidelines, remember they are advisory in nature – not law – and they don’t always apply. You be the judge.

For a complete copy of the new guide, go to: http://www2.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf

Print PDF

The basic premise is that additional data (such as layered on visuals and sound) can be geographically triggered to give you a better, more useful experience. Think about a fighter pilot flying in the dark through a cloud. He literally can’t see anything, but can fly perfectly fine as the plane’s computer system visually superimposes data onto his helmet visor. While he’s in an actual jet flying thru the air, he might as well be playing a video game as he responds to the location-specific, computer generated data he’s using to fly.

Bringing this technology down to earth, practical and entertaining applications can now run on everyday mobile devices. The below video introduces augmented reality to help visitors in New York City. Basically, the application detects where you are standing in the city and offers arrows to the nearby subway stations:

In the splashiest use of augmented reality by a magazine publisher, Esquire magazine’s Best & Brightest of 2009 issue offered a half-dozen AR features. After you visit the Esquire web site and download their software, you simply hold the magazine up to your webcam which reads special symbols printed in the magazine. Fancy audio/video is triggered to then play on your computer. Seeing this system really gets the creative juices flowing. You have to see it to understand it, so check out the below video. I really enjoyed the novelty of Esquire’s system, but didn’t like the 70+ MB download it took to play. Non-geek people wouldn’t tolerate that. Perhaps the Esquire AR application software can automatically update itself at night once the next AR-enabled magazine is available. So while the download would remain large, it would essentially happen without hassling the user.

While I’m a big fan of Papa John’s pizza, their augmented reality project is underwhelming. Yes, the technology is cute, but the payoff is weak. A virtual driving game? C’mon — people need more than gimmicks to make their efforts worthwhile. But hey, give Papa John’s credit for giving it a go.

Finally, it wouldn’t be an official new media post without mentioning zombies and Skittles. So check out the following AR gaming video and be prepared to be blown away – literally and metaphorically speaking.

I predict that augmented reality technology will be woven into experiential marketing programs in the very near future. In my next post, I’ll offer a host of ideas on how to make my smartphone even more useful than it is today.

Print PDF

I get a sense of deja vu when I read articles like Why You Don’t Need Social Media Consultants whose premise is that social media is such common sense that no one should pay for consultation services. While there are a lot of silicon snake oil salesman out there, it’s naive (and dare I say professionally negligent) to unilaterally dismiss the idea of social media consultants. As Voltaire noted, “Common sense is not so common.”

Here are three reasons you should consider enlisting the help of experienced social media practitioners:

Save Time
Figuring out what tools to use can be a pain in the ass. You have more important things to do than learn about the latest, whiz-bang widget. There are an overwhelming number of options, but which make sense for you? After a conversation with a social media professional, you can quickly learn which tools are most practical for you to use to achieve your marketing objectives. Do you really want to research the difference between a Facebook Fan Page vs. Groups? It’s riveting stuff, but seriously? Or which video system is better to use, Vimeo or YouTube? Your social media “coach” offers hands-on expertise and shortcuts you to a best recommendation so you don’t waste time and energy.

Accountability
It’s human nature — when you have to report progress to another person, you’re more likely do the work. A coach (consultant) will motivate you to make progress on your social media program so it continually builds into something strong and valuable vs. atrophying and falling by the wayside. Think about the treadmill in your basement. Not pretty…

Keep Focus
It’s easy to get distracted and lose yourself in the minutia of social media tools. Are you generating the right content that your audience finds valuable? Are you paying enough attention to the right places at the right time? Building and reinforcing a brand demands consistency of voice and messaging. Your social media coach can help you keep your “eye on the ball” and stay on strategy.

I’m curious what you think? When I started in the web development business 13-years ago, I was sure EVERYONE would know HTML by year 2000. I was certain web developers (the social media consultants of the mid-90’s) would be out of business because “anyone can do this” — heck browsers have a ‘view source’ option to literally show how every page was built. But I was wrong (thank God). A portion of web development has gotten easy (WordPress, open source, etc.), but many aspects have gotten way more difficult (.Net is a real-life programming language — not mark-up code or scripts). Cascading style sheets are intimidating has hell to most people, but cake to tech-savvy designers. I think social media marketing will progess down the same line: easy for a small segment of people (like those making fun of my friend’s running program, which is now super-successful, btw) and increasingly more complicated for everyone else.

Finally, even the best golfer in the world – Tiger Woods – has a swing coach. No matter who you are and what you do, getting advice from an expert outsider is plain smart business.

Print PDF

Now consider social media, the most eclectic, ever-changing fire hose of information in human history. As online marketers, what can we do to make sure our legitimate voice and information is taken seriously?

Answer: Branding.  Yep, that old school marketing stuff…

Your brand is the genuine, distinct personality of your company. It’s what your organization stands for and makes you unique in a sea of otherwise sameness. It’s an emotional connection or way people react to a logo or product. And while it’s often associated with a visual/logo (an icon that symbolizes your brand), it includes what you say and how you say it as well. Over time, your brand builds equity — it means something to people and has value. It builds trust, justifies your attention and rationalizes a premium price.

When it comes to social media, the need for branding is greater than ever. People may find your organization’s Web site in search engine results along with you your Twitter account, Facebook group, YouTube channel and blog. Do all these places “feel” the same? Do they speak with the same voice? Do they offer consistent materials?

Now considering the chipmunk-on-meth attention span of most Web visitors, does your social media channel past the 5-second brand consistency test? Pull up one of your social media channels (say, your blog) then quickly review it for visuals, personality and content:

1. Visual Presentation
   Are you using your logo correctly – colors/size/spacing? Does your color scheme match your Web site? Do your photos match your other marketing materials?
2. Personality
   Does it convey the right tone and spirit? Does it “feel” like your organization?
3. Content
   Is the material you offer appropriate? Or is it just copy-and-pasted from your annual report? Does the depth and breadth of content reflect your expertise? Is it what people would expect?

There’s a lot in social media that you can’t control, but what you say and how you say it is still your choice. Your online brand identity should be treated as an invaluable asset that MUST be nurtured and protected. Because without it, you’re just a commodity fighting to breath in an increasingly crowded online marketplace.

Print PDF