With the Winter Olympics just under our belt, it’s a great opportunity to discuss the power of media during this event. There were many firsts during the Olympics- not only in terms of medals but also with regards to the audiences.

From the beginning, it was clear these games were held in North America. This was evident with the opening ceremony. Whether it was the aboriginal dancers, the Canadian singers or the customs, we knew these were our Olympics. Throughout the games, there were differences between this Olympics and the summer Olympics from 2008, where China was the host. China brought their own style and beauty to them. However, China is a communist country and the differences from a media perspective were quite apparent. China has strict regulations on internet usage and has recently implemented guidelines for Google.  Of course Google is questioning them. But could you imagine America without Google? We are very dependent on it. But alas, I digress.

The Canadian games were completely represented in the media. In the US, NBC owned the rights to the games but by contrast, in Canada, there were over ten networks (CTV, TSN, RDS, RIS Infosports, Rogers, OMNI, OLN, V, APTN, ATN, etc…) that carried them. Granted there are certain factors to take into consideration. First, Canada was the host country. Second, there are two official languages in Canada, thus needing to be aired in both. And probably the most relevant factor, it’s fair to assume that not one of those stations could afford to buy the rights outright. So what does this mean for the audience? Well, we could say we were not as lucky because if you were tired of watching the umpteenth time Apollo sped around the rink – too bad! Yes I am giving away a secret here; technically the games on NBC were not live. In Canada, if you did not want to watch skating, you could simply change to another station for different coverage. I am not revealing a deep dark secret here, as this was completely obvious through whichever means of social media you were following. Although I am a big believer in the power of social media, at times I found it difficult to follow them. It is hard to watch a sport, when you know the outcome. However, the benefit was that you never felt like you were missing anything. The added bonus to social media is that you can follow the athletes on Twitter for instance. This gives you the extra sensation of being involved in the games. You can feel their angst, their excitement, their fear… Imagine if it was your child competing and you could not be there with them. What a great way to share this special moment with them.

All in all, NBC did a great job, but more importantly so did our athletes. Congrats to all!

After years of blocking their contestants from online outreach to fans, American Idol has released a statement saying that they will allow contestants to communicate via their “Idol-managed” Facebook, Twitter and MySpace pages.  Sounds like a fantastic idea, but how will it change the competition?

Here are a few things I will be watching out for:

1. The influence of social media on the outcome
   As the Top 24 is narrowed to 12, we should see indication of popularity by visiting each participant’s social media site.  Can you imagine how much influence each site will hold as fans of the show try to rally their friends and family to support each contestant?  However, a new dynamic may enter as fans might become complacent and not vote if they see that their favorite has millions of supporters on their sites.
2. Each contestant’s ability to rally fans
   It will be interesting to see how each contestant uses their outlets to rally support.  This year’s winner could be decided on an artist’s ability to engage with fans to drive votes. A contestant’s social media savvy will be exposed.
3. Additional pressure on the contestants
   There is no doubt that each contestant feels pressure from the judges and live audience.  Will comments that critics place on the forums create more anxiety for the singers?
4. How much will Idol manage the forums?
   The true beauty of social media is unfiltered, transparent conversations.  I will be interested to see how much Idol allows.

Every year American Idol hooks me somehow, and now with this new dynamic, they have done it again.  How do you think the new social media policy will change the competition?

“Good dog! That’s a good boy,” you shout as your dog has managed to successfully catch the bright red Frisbee in his mouth and bring it back to you in his daily ritual of fetch with not only his very favorite toy, but with his very favorite human. You tousle the fur on his head, you rub his belly, you love him and he knows it. As he looks up at you with those big round eyes, what is he thinking? What would he say to you if he could share his appreciation? We like to think that he might throw back a “good human. That’s a good human!”

The most successful social media campaigns focus on a greater cause and movement. They provide something bigger than a brand or a product. They pull you in and make you feel. The emotional impact of a successful social media campaign should leave you wanting to spread the word and come back for more. Once developing the Good Human campaign for VPI Pet Insurance, Trone was able to take the campaign components, which focus around commending owners nationwide for providing the best care for their pet, and turn it into a captivating social movement.

By visiting ThatsAGoodHuman.com, pet owners across America can make a vow to be a good human to their pets by scratching behind their ears or brushing their teeth more often. They can vow to trim their pet’s nails or find something new that they and their pet can do together. They can even personalize their vow like Eileen from Liberty, MO did when she vowed to “let Shepherd go outside whenever he sees a squirrel.” Once a vow has been made, pet owners are asked to upload a picture of their pet and vote for one of four charities before seeing their vow up on the wall of thousands of pet owners that share in the love and devotion to their pets.  Once each charity hits 5,000 votes, VPI will donate $1,000 to that charity and from that point on, every 5,000 votes a charity receives, VPI will continue to donate. So inevitably, not only are pet owners taking a vow for their pets, but they are contributing to a charity that helps thousands of pets across the country.

Quick what was your first thought?  Did you think about the last group of people you were with face-to-face, a mental list of co-workers, a fond memory of a very close friend, or how many people you have listed as “friends” on Facebook?

I have to say when I first joined Facebook, I was a bit leery;  I thought that if I truly had a connection with someone, then why would I have lost touch.   How would an online medium, seemingly so impersonal be the right avenue to reach out after all these years?   But everyone was doing it, so with trepidation, I developed an account and decided my strategy would be to wait and see who wanted to be my friend. 

My first “new friends” were people I worked with or who lived here in Greensboro;  I interacted with them on a regular basis.  No “reconnection” there, just confirmation that I was on their meter.  The next wave were close out of town friends, but again, I spoke to them frequently enough to be in the know of what was happening in their lives. 

Ah, then there was that first “blast from the past”.  Yay, a chance to reconnect, catch-up on what had happened since the last school reunion or chance meeting when I was home visiting my parents.  After “confirming” that we were indeed friends, I was ready!  I had this lofty idea that we would engage in some sort of conversation, something on a personally level and hopefully something with content. 

Well, I can’t say that my expectations were met with the one-on-one connection.  But I have readjusted my expectations and will admit I have enjoyed gaining a glimpse into people’s comings and goings.  I’ve even been surprised at request from people who I barely knew, and in some cases don’t even know.  This begs the question – When do you “confirm” or when do you “ignore”?  

And how do you define a “friend”?  Does “friend” mean the same thing as it did ten years ago or has it slid more to the definition of “acquaintance” with the evolution of social media?

As a long-time practitioner of PR, I often fondly recall the days when a well-crafted message was enough to get attention. Nowadays, the plethora of communication channels–not to mention a growing social media presence–makes the job much more difficult. So, how do we break through the clutter, filter out the noise, deliver the message and drive behavior?

At its heart, PR has always been about exchanging information, a sort of conversation, that builds links to an organization’s stakeholders. I believe, too, that PR is the most effective communication discipline for managing how a brand is received and perceived. PR plays in a brand’s “environmental” space; at best, evoking emotion that builds trust and drives behavior.

Instead of longing for the good old days when a mass message delivered via a few channels did the trick, we need to meet stakeholders where they live with messages crafted for their particular interest. And in the case of social media, simply standing up and waving the brand flag doesn’t get the job done. Yes, we must still deliver information. But now as never before we have communication channels that allow engagement, real conversation, influence. Once upon a time, PR hung its hat on the credibility of news media as a disinterested third-party influencer. Scary to hand over a brand to consumers, but few opinions are more credible than those from whom we consider peers and influencers among our peer group.

Unmassed media–especially social media–present an opportunity for the closest thing to face-to-face communication and conversation with all those who hold a brand’s life in their hands. Does that make our job easier? Definitely not. Does it require more thought, strategy and management? Certainly. Does it require more of an investment than a simple news release, a compelling press kit, hours of pitch calls or an attention-getting event? Most definitely. But the potential return on that investment far outstrips any from papering the universe with nothing but mass messages and hoping that some stick.

I know, summer’s winding down, so how could you start such a lengthy reading list now! Hopefully, you’ll be able to cross off the ones you’ve already read. And you can claim that no marketing book published before Fall of 2008 is still relevant. That’ll shorten the list. But at the very least, I hope you can find one or two of these that sound worthwhile. Better yet, you can post your suggestions in the comments area.

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So little of advertising is still advertising. But fortunately ideas are still ideas. I’ve collected a few examples here that show off some creative ways that ambient and social media have been used. These are brands that have gone beyond the standard Facebook product page or the CEO Twitter account to bring some creativity back to marketing.

Coffee Company PowerPoint Slide

This coffee company in the Netherlands offered a free cup of coffee to students who slipped a Coffee Company slide into their PowerPoint presentations. Pretty cool to have a word from your sponsor in the middle of your slideshow.

Terminator Salvation Twitter game

This nicely executed movie promotion enticed Twitter users to watch for tweets from @resistance2018 which contained fill-in-the-blank puzzles, word jumbles, and trivia. Players could rack up points by “decoding these transmissions” in a reply tweet.

Papa John’s Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality is one of the most notable new media tricks around. It’s a way of getting a users webcam to trigger a 3-D animation on screen. It really gives you the illusion of a hologram. (Is that redundant?) Papa John’s, GE, and Mini are some of the brands who are already making use of it.

Green Works Reverse Graffiti

This eco-friendly mural was created for the launch of Green Works, a 99% plant-based cleaner. San Francisco’s Broadway Tunnel was the filthy backdrop for the artwork of indigenous plant life, which was cleaned with the product. Pretty amazing product demo.

Milky Way Movie Theater Line Barrier

Although it’s questionable whether or not this was produced, it’s still a really fun idea—a great example of why it pays to think about where your target spends time.

Flea Spray Mall Floor Graphic

This giant floor decal lets the foot traffic on the ground floor of an Indonesian mall become the fleas on the dog. I do wish they had rotated the dog image 180 degrees so he wouldn’t look like a pork chop. And the line could be better. But still-great idea.

Iams Frisbee

While we’re on the topic of dogs, take a look at this cool giveaway from Iams dog food. To promote the healthy and strong dogs message, they created these plastic frisbees to look like 10kg weights to be distributed at dog parks.

STA Travel Facebook Page

Few brands with Facebook pages support their fanbase the way this student-focused travel agency does. They give their page a human voice with lots of interaction, contests, giveaways, etc. Plus, they constantly create incentives for users to become fans, which, when they do, ripples through the networks of Facebook friends.

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There’s still so much discussion around marketing through social media and making the most of limited media budgets. We will have to not only master these media options, but continually find new touchpoints as well.

Let’s remember to send a postcard to our old friends Print and Television—let them know we’ll still visit from time to time.

On having a comment regarding Twitter.

I joined, I followed, I’m on the fence.

On the fence as it relates to my chosen profession versus my preferred means of personal interaction. As a marketer, what an amazing time to be in the business!!  The explosion of social media brings new ways to communicate with your audience.  Gone are the days of the cookie cutter approach and three month lead times.  Think of the most outlandish idea and it can be implemented within days (or at least most clients think so)!!!

Yet, when I think about “tweeting” on an individual level, I don’t get it. Talk about random!    And half the time I just don’t get it.  Posts just seem to be the minutiae of day to day life.  Do I really need to know what you are having for dinner?  But then again we have become a society of voyeurs where reality TV, the latest celebrity gossip and horrific tragedies captures our attention.

Now I’m sure there is a niche who loves to communicate activities minute by minute, in broken sentences and a shorthand language.  I for one am not convinced that on a personal level “tweeting” will have the following and staying power some other forms of social media do, i.e. Facebook.

So is Twitter to become a lasting component in the marketing tool box or a just fad catapulted to greater fame by Oprah joining the fray?  And is it really a viable communication outlet for individuals or the next big wave in promoting all types of brands?

Twitter has blown up on the social media front, so no wonder every brand and their grandmother is joining!  Nielsen reported it broke 7 million monthly unique visitors in February, and Google News reported on March 13 that 40,920 news stories citing the microblog were published within 1 hour.  However, there are some guidelines that should be set when using it as a marketing tool and not a “social updater.”  This is not a tool used for a quick sell.  It’s used to build and cultivate relationships.

In your bio, be completely transparent about who your company is and who will be posting; even what you hope to get out of the experience.

Find relevant people to follow…most likely they will follow you back.  This will help conversations.

At first, you should relax and sit back.  Read conversations going on around you.  Slowly engage in these conversations and then as you become more confident you may start conversations on your own related to your business.

Be responsive!  And, always give back more than you were asked.

Don’t be overly enthusiastic…too many companies are trying to sell stuff right out of the gate.

If you’re part of an agency representing a brand, let the brand’s employees do the tweeting.  They are the ones closest to it.

In my short life on Twitter (@joshfahey) I’ve had the unfortunate displeasure of following several extremely annoying people and I stereotyped them accordingly. You may or may not have experienced people like these, but believe me they are out there. Some are based on the content they post and others on how they use Twitter. You may be one of them. You may be a mix of two or more. Either way I hope reading this makes you appropriately self conscious when Tweeting in the future.

The Reteewter

You rarely start a tweet without an RT because you rarely have anything original to say. You simply scan your followers tweets and regurgitate what you think is interesting for your own followers. RTs are fine. Just not for every post. If I wanted to see what all of you the people you were following were saying all of the time, I’d just follow them myself.

The Never Tweeter

Oh Never Tweeter, you build up my hopes for interesting and entertaining tweets only to let me down. You may be a celebrity (@TinaFey) or the President of the free world that has built up several thousand followers and led us on with hilarious and informative tweets only to stop and never update your account! Or you may just be a new user who heard they should be on Twitter. You signed up said something like “I don’t get this Twitter thing.” Your friends were hopeful you eventually would, because they like you and are interested in what you have to say, but every time you think about it you think, “maybe later” or “I don’t have time for that” or even worse “Facebook is better.”

The Over Tweeter

If only the world could have more of you. That’s what you must think. Perhaps you get paid by the tweet or just can’t stand the 140 character limitations, but whatever the reason you’re always blowing up my Twitter feed. Important messages, things I actually care about and good friends are quickly pushed down the page. Replaced by pictures of your face, or you dogs face, or an annoying animated gif that repeats every two seconds, next to the electronic drivel that logs the minute details of your life. Details that I’m convinced you must believe will one day be preserved in your own presidential library.

The @ Tweeter

You light up my Twitter feed like an AOL chat room from the late 90’s. You either don’t know about the DM feature or ignore it with reckless abandon. You’ve got something to say about everything other people are saying and you want everyone to see it.  You would gladly substitute 9 Twitter posts for a 30 second phone conversation. While the @reply is great for the occasional comment, rebuttal and even a little back and forth conversation, your blind comments like “@somedude That was sick, yo!!!” really makes me want to stop following you.

The Link Tweeter

No one can read the news or do a Google search like you can, that’s why the world needs you to find these articles, videos and pictures and put the links in your tweets. Why have your own thoughts or ideas when presenting me with someone else’s is so much easier? If only someone could hire you to scour the web for these hidden gems of knowledge you so easily find.

The Promo Tweeter

You’ve got a new blog post, ooh. You’re at a book signing, cool. You’re on TV tonight, wow. You’re having a sale, oh boy! You’re giving the keynote at the All About Me Conference….I don’t care. I followed you because I thought you might be interesting, but when realized your sole purpose in life was to be a constant shameless self promoter I quickly stopped following you. Maybe if I was a 12 year old girl and you were @mileycyrus or the @ OfficialJoBros I might be interested,but after a while, nomatter who you are, most people just don’t care.

The Fanboy Tweeter

Of all the people in the world, no one likes _______ as much as you. I know because that’s all you ever tweet about.  Day in and day out: the rumors, the concept drawings, the trailers, the conventions, the countdown, the opening day, the midnight sale, the reviews, the rebuttals, the comparisons, the rants about the inferiority of competitors, the rave about the superiority of your obsession, the dissection, the fixes, the patches, the upgrades, the mods, the new uses, the alternate uses, the toys, and on and on.  I used to like ________, but if it turns people into you I can do without it.

I’m one of these fools, what do I do?

If you find that more often that not you are one of these people then you should do us all a favor and click here. Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to: be a fan, retweet, self promote, link to an interesting article, have a conversation and get excited and have several tweets at a time, but when one of those things defines your twitterness expect to be unfollowed, because you’re really annoying. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to post 3 consecutive tweets with a link to this blog post that I wrote.