YouTube Abuse

No doubt, YouTube is one of the superstars on the social media scene right now. That is why I must get off my chest a problem that has been bugging me. I recently did some research on the brand for MSL Worldwide  for Advertising Week 2012 and YouTube has had an impressive five year history. What makes the site so great is that it is a repository of rich and unique content 'for the people by the people'.
I really appreciate the opportunity to share but...

I really appreciate the opportunity to share but...

 It absolutely grates on my nerve when:

1. Half of a person's presentation is swallowed up by a random YouTube video - even if the video is instructional. Please do not waste people's time. Quite likely a person is listening to you to receive 'your' insight on a topic; not the views of 'purplelollipop350' who uploaded the video. Once again, if people have ready access to it, don't belabor the video in the presentation unless it is an important lead up to your information.YouTube has an entire section dedicated to instructional use by schools where content is sorted by subject matter on YouTube Edu. If this is the kind of session you have planned for your audience, please let them know in advance.

2. People just pluck videos from the site for use in major professional presentations and workshops with no credit to the person who created it. Who are these presenters trying to impress, really? I for one am not. I also have access to YouTube and when I search the title of the video I can not only see that you did not create it but that you are one of 756,000 people to have viewed it.

3. Okay I wanted a third thing but there really are just these two main things.

For fascinating YouTube stories check out their FiveYear anniversary channel.
For more social media info check out SocialMediaDaily.

Drop a comment to share your own YouTube abuse observations.

The Real QR Code Fail

Not so long ago Mashable put out an interesting little article about QR Code fails featuring codes on cupcakes, codes on a headstone (which I thought was pretty cool) and QR code subway ads (#4). Picking up where this article left off, I have to draw attention to the biggest QR fail in the Communications industry and that is what I call the 'QR Solo Ad.' a.k.a (QRsad) It is a disturbing trend that early adoptors have rebounded  from but late bloomers are still (even as I type) contemplating. Below is a prototype of a 'QRsad' :
 

Can you guess what is wrong here?

 "A QRsad is one that features little to no text and is marked by the presence of a large QR code and the absence of a printed website address, email or contact information."

A QRsad is one that features little to no text and is marked by the presence of a large QR code and the absence of a printed website address, email or contact information, which means:

1. People without a smartphone (yes, these homo sapiens do exist) will not be able to access whatever product, service, event or idea is being advertised. If that was the aim then forgive my insight, if not then #fail

2. People who do have smartphones but do not know how to scan a QR code or even better, who do not know what a QR code is will not have access to whatever product, service, event or idea is being advertised. #fail x2

3. Let's just throw into the mix, the fact that these ads are often placed in inconvenient places such as inside the train and bus. So even if you do know what a QR code is and you in fact have a QR code reader, you  grab your phone to zoom in on the code but the train is going too fast, so everything is a blur resulting in capture not being decoded. #fail x 3

4. How about you reach for your phone to zoom in on a code and just when you think you've got it...*click*... you just snapped another passenger picking their nose. #fail x infinity

 The message is clear here. Communicators must never sacrifice what's relevant, effective and in the best interest of the target audiences for what is novel, innovative and trending. If you can find a way to meet both sets of objectives, the world will thank you for it.

For more on QR code fails read the original  post on QR fails. For other relevant social media articles visit Social Media Daily.

 

Dear Future Me

Dear Me at 40,
Just thought I'd write this letter to let you know some things about yourself.  First off, by all definitions you are no longer a young chicken. You are now a seasoned (err old) successful communicator and you have been in the business for a while now.  You have traveled the world almost to the point of being jaded; been to Paris, Italy, Britain and all the states in the U.S. You've met and collaborated with the biggest and the best in the industry. You have handled tough projects, big clients and had to overcome various communications and business challenges (and ego trips) and you're still going strong. You've won various Communications awards. You have figured out the delicate balance between work life, home life with children, pets, husband (maybe...if he behaves) and me time. As a matter of fact, you even think you have it down to a science. Whatever you do please remember these next few words...Do not get comfortable! You have not arrived at your destination. Success is a journey. Don't fall into the trap of stagnation.

"Do not get comfortable, You have not arrived!" 

There is so much more to learn, so many new communication theories, so many advances continually being made in social media and innovation; younger smarter people coming up in the field and they're changing the way people 'get it done' in the field of Communications. You may feel overwhelmed trying to swim against the current but...It's okay, don't panic. You have two options (or maybe both) :

 

1. Ensure that you attend at least three industry conferences a year. While you're at it, enroll in short courses so that you can up your qualifications and keep up with all the latest trends in Communications.

2. Collaborate with the brightest and the best communicators coming up in the industry. Value them and let them know that you have not arrived and that you are open to learning (genuinely learning) the new tools and strategies they are using to 'get it done' in the field of Communications.

If you put this advice into practice. I guarantee you that you will continue to experience the newness and excitement you felt when you first got started in the industry. You will also experience breakthroughs in the projects you work on. I guarantee that you will soar to the front of the line as a thought leader because you are experienced yet you understand that the most important building blocks of communication ,throughout the age, remain; authenticity, currency and relevance.

All the best, from the younger, hopeful and excitedly fabulous you. Get it done! For more inspiration on  career tips and getting ahead catch up on some of the latest articles on Brazen Careerist.

Facebook Addiction

Below is a poem I wrote in 2009 about Facebook addiction. There are several Facebook references to decode. Facebook has evolved so much since this, a new one is in the making:

What's on your mind today?
What kind of person are you?
These are very challenging words
Even for other people you may know.
How long will you pet society?
Or feed on the lives of others?
Like a vampire or like the maffia;
Waging wars without a real cause?
Your brain must not be very big after all
to miss the new events that seek to alter
your privacy settings.

This is not a quiz but somehow you fail to notice the mounting 
requests -of unthinkable kinds- that are 
thrown at you daily.
Or maybe you like poking away at the wall
of indifference and self-indulgence?
I wish that you could see that this is not 
affecting only you, or some of your friends 
or all of your friends, or friends of your friends
but your entire social network!
I do not think I need to further sketch a
portrait of what your life will be like if
you refuse to block and delete this way of 
thinking...this way of being...
Or maybe within the last 10 minutes you have
been too busy uploading pictures from the
past and present to notice that you are 
100% facebook addicted!

For more on social media addiction read PR Daily's recent article, Social Media Addict and Social Media Daily.

If social media could be owned...

I've often wondered...

'If social media could be owned by one person or entity...who would it be?" Would it be the wealthy tech guru Bill Gates, the charismatic Oprah Winfrey, the regal Queen of England or the powerful US White House? The reality is that no one owns social media and no one ever will. Social media is governed by the people who use it to share information and to make connections.

"The reality is that no one owns social media and no one ever will."

Any attempt to drastically regulate it or make it authoritarian will probably result in disuse. The communal ownership of social is what has given rise to this new and exciting era of uninhibited sharing.  Even the creators of platforms have watched as their ideas morphed beyond their expectations based on user habits and patterns. Social media continues to evolve and we social media enthusiasts continue to marvel at the ways in which people are able to connect and carve out meaning from endless streams of information. It's always interesting to read up on the history of these social platforms and how they came to be. An interesting movie to see if you haven't seen it is, the Social Network, based on the evolution of Facebook . Check out the trailer below:



For more on all things Social Media check out Social Media Daily.

Baby Blue On Tumblr

This weekend has certainly been filled with news news and more news, the most heart-wrenching being the great Whitney Houston's death on Saturday. Then in a legendary moment, British pop singer Adele swooped up all of six Grammys on Sunday! It was definitely a bitter-sweet weekend featuring some interesting ladies but the lady I'd like to focus on is none other than little Blue Ivy who was debuted to the world on Friday night.
 In case you have been hiding under a rock for the past year, Blue Ivy is the first and only child of R&B singer Beyonce and her rapper boo, of ten years, JayZ. It was definitely Friday's biggest 'awww' moment (on Facebook at least) but for me it triggered a series of questions....The most important being why debut Baby Blue's pictures on Tumblr? I even saw on Facebook where some people were asking...what is Tumblr? Lol.

 "Why debut Baby Blue's pictures on Tumblr?"

Now just to back track, just an hour (exactly an hour) before the photos were debuted, I just got the urge to Google photos of the baby (maybe internet ESP). All that kept turning up were those infamous Photoshops of JayZ on a baby's body and then other Photoshops of a random baby in a teenage Beyonce's hand. Then all of a sudden, just when I had given up and decided to spend some time on my fb...I stumbled (biased word choice, I know) across a friend's comment in my timeline on ...Blue!

Of course I hurriedly click on the link and it leads me to this very plain and random Tumblr page with 4-5 very ordinary looking pictures of the baby and two photos of each parent holding the baby - none of all of them together. Deep inside I felt it was a mistake and another genius Photoshop...absolutely nothing about the page screamed celebrity, so I then googled Beyonce's official website in search of real news and photos of the baby. Low and behold, this same plain jane Tumble pic was at the very top of Beyonce's page under the heading 'Glory'; I once again click on the link and examine the pictures noting that the beautiful baby indeed has features of her father and mother. I go back on my Fb timeline and notice that many more postings of the newly debuted babe has been posted. Still I ask...why Tumblr?

After examining the very normal pics, Tumblr page and photos I came up with my own three reasons to put my mind at ease...for now:

1. Tumblr is one of the fastest ways for people to post and share content without it being easily traced backed or linked to the source. My guess is that they didn't want the babe's pic to be directly tied to the business aspect of their lives, hence not uploading directly to a Facebook page or directly on the website. Hmmm...

2. Maybe the couple wanted to appear like a normal average family (which they did, take a look). Maybe they didn't want to make the paparazzi and tabloids salivate too much by making a big deal out of the baby pictures. They did emphasize that it is 'a beautiful moment in their lives' and that they appreciate the privacy they have been afforded.

3. Maybe they haven't yet discovered Pinterest. :)

Tumblr gives 30 reasons for why you should use Tumblr too.

Link to Baby Blue's Tumblr page.
 For thought-provoking articles on social media check out Social Media Daily.

What do you think? Does it in any way speak to good PR?

Pinterest disinterest

 These past few weeks have been filled with headlines about the new kid on the block - Pinterest. Reports are that the world's largest collage board is growing at the speed of lightening. One source even claimed that it surpassed YouTube and G+ in traffic. Yet with all the hype that is being built up around it, some people are still not yet sold. (You may as well count me in this number). In true 'early adopter' fashion we are very much on Pinterest and we very much tried to jump on the bandwagon but somehow we are just not feeling it.

  "The joy that my Pinterest friends are  feeling reminds me of what I experienced when I first discovered StumbleUpon."

I for one have not yet felt the euphoria that many others have been experiencing on the site so far. Could it be that I am not THAT much into visuals? Or maybe I don't have enough pinning friends yet? Or maybe I'm jaded with all the options out there? Or maybe, as a busy new Communicator, I just don't have the time to pin away aimlessly...Ahhhh!
To be quite honest I have very early in the buzz come to accept that maybe Pinterest is just not for me at this moment in time. Though I am an avid nature, food, travel destination, animal lover etc etc, I have never been the type of person to sit down for hours looking at dozens of cute pics of pizzas, kittens and flowers. I'd honestly rather spend that time reading, one article or book at a time and that's okay. The joy that my Pinterest friends are feeling reminds me of what I experienced when I first discovered StumbleUpon. I would spend all of my weekend just stumbling and stumbling and stumbling. I thought it was just the greatest thing (next to Facebook). It was through stumbling that I discovered one of the coolest most practical things ever invented -the Bento Book (free ad) and learned more about its awesome capabilities. Though I am presently disinterested in Pinterest that may very well change in the future. I have identified three types of people who I think this social platform will benefit most once it really picks up momentum:


1. Artists
    If you follow the right people on a particular topic you could discover a muse or two. It could also be an opportunity to showcase your artwork and get some love (or feedback). On my few encounters with Pinterest I've marvelled at some of the unique and interesting pictures being pinned. I suppose it goes without saying that people pin only those things that are most visually appealing.


2. Advertisers
   It seems like this group of people will always benefit from the most public of social platforms. Advertisers may find it interesting to scout out and incorporate elements of pictures that people, currently, find visually apealing. In otherwords they can find out what's trending visually.


3. Wedding Planners
The first time I heard about Pinterest I thought, "This sounds like the place to be if I ever need to find out what unique (read quirky) things people are doing for weddings these days." It would just be a matter of doing the hard work of finding and following the right people.
      Pinterest also has the potential to be a good tool for event planners (even corporate), in general, to pick up great ideas of what people find interesting. (Hmm... I think I just blogged my way into an idea!)

How has Pinterest benefitted you as a pinner? All pinful ideas and suggestions are welcomed.

For articles on social media analysis visit Social Media Daily.

Tweeting Isn't For Everybody

Let's just face it, some people just don't have that much to say. Plus so much is already said...scratch that...being said about that cliche topic you just thought of tweeting...oops! Let's just admit it and embrace it. The proof is in the pudding. In much the same way that there are categories of Facebookers that grate on our nerves. There are also categories of Tweeters who just don't get it:

Regurgitaters

Yes good content is hard to come up with but these tweeps make borrowing tweets a first-resort. Regurgitaters (a.k.a Recyclers) think they are so slick with it...but they're so busy patting themselves on the shoulder from their daily re-tweets and  re-quotes that they don't realize how sick they're making the rest of us. Hello regurgitaters we are your followers sick of waiting for you to tweet content that you thought about or interesting content that you found. Lest you forget, that's why we followed you in the first place!

Trivialists

Okay so we're jumping from extreme to extreme here. Follow me...These are the ones who tweet out their every move, every plan and if they're lonely enough, every thought. Trivialists I hate to break it to you but that's what Facebook is for....let's be more strategic in the way we communicate. Let us make a plan. Let's decide that a 'good' Twitter account is public and a 'good' Facebook account is private...something... anything. Why would you want to spam co-workers and strangers with the not-so-interesting details of your life anyway? To be quite honest, if you were having as much fun at that event, like you tweeted, you wouldn't have time to tweet about it! Next time you feel the urge to spam with the boring tid-bits remember that the unfollow button is only a click away and we all know that the 'number of followers' matter most to you tweeps.

"Let's be more strategic in the way we communicate. Let us make a plan. "

  the Silent Ones

Okay so let's just be clear. There are TWO kinds of silent ones. The first kind are those who have been on Twitter since the days of the first tweets but barely have 10 followers let alone 10 tweets. This is actually a Twitter problem. Why have people occupying dormant user names when there are people out there who could make better use of them? Then there are those who believe that quality is better than quantity in tweet terms. If they have nothing meaningful to tweet they will not tweet. They also do not believe in making 10,000 tweets in one day (which btw is not natural) just to have an online presence. Every once in a while if they find something worthwhile tweeting, they will. They are also likely to have a constant but small number of followers. 

What do you think? Is it better for a brand/individual to tweet a constant mix of relevant and not so relevant content or to just tweet meaningful content when necessary? 

The Revolutionary Social Media

Social media is currently one of the most used, talked about, underrated and misunderstood 'things' of the 21st century. I just know that somewhere out there people are busting their brains undertaking some serious studies about the psychological, political and economic impact of social media. I am no expert but I just have to join in on the social media bandwagon by sharing my top 5 observations about the revolutionary Social Media!

1. Legitimizes Stalking
Before social media, 'stalking' was one of those taboo words and certainly no normal person would want to be caught stalking or be referred to as a stalker or worse admit to stalking! These days people have no qualms about it. It's just what we (sorry, they) do! Send someone a friend request, wait for them to accept, once they accept don't even say 'Hey, how're u doing? Thanks for the add'...psssh. Just get straight to work browsing though their pictures and scrolling down their walls. If you're lucky they'll like something everybody else likes or copy and paste the last person who commented on anything. They are so in your face with it. Come on people it's call social media for a reason, at least say something meaningful once in a while.

2. Makes Everyone a News Reporter
Who needs to watch local news, the radio or *gasp* read the local paper when we are all employed to the FNN (Facebook News Network) and the TNW (Twitter News Wire) as news anchors, field reporters, weather forecasters, sports commentators extraordinaire? Lol. Seriously, we know we are doing or jobs well when the local news now looks to our tweets, statuses, walls and likes for news headlines :)

3. Could Make You an Expert
If you really calculate the time spent reading particular tweets, statuses and wall posts by particular people on specific topics it would be the equivalent of a liberal arts course/degree. Depending on which brand's or content curator's page you visit most frequently, at the end of the year you could walk away being an expert in music, cuisine, wealth management, politics, the possibilities are endless.

4. Puts 'Ideas' in Your Head
I'm not talking about the annoying (sorry informational) ads here. Follow me carefully...there is a particular social media site that has some secret matchmaking agenda. I won't go calling any names around here, but when you login and you see a long list of  people 'Similar to you'? It begs the question...'And who are you to determine that Twitter?' This is also helpful in the sense that it takes all the guess work out of who to connect with, #genius and this brings me to my last point...

5. Invented Hash Tag Abuse
Ok. I really wanted to have my five serious special observations to share, but I don't know what more I could say except....... 'Does anybody know what really happened to Google Wave?' #justasking #theyjustupanddisappeared #beenaskingforalongtimenow #seriously :D