It's important for your video to turn into a virus
I came across this video about a month ago when I was researching different PR and media relations companies. Apparently some of their bloggers also explore various aspects of PR and they stumbled upon this commercial of Smart Water.
Some time ago I read a post ‘10 reasons I won’t follow you on Twitter’. It intrigued me and all the points the author listed I could have marked as mine own. I even felt a little embarrassed when some of them might have been referring to someone like me. After all, I’m a person who enjoys her offline life; and I have to admit, I might not check my Twitter on everyday basis.
To the contrary to some arguments the writer of the post mentions, such as not believing in following someone back if they follow you, I find it difficult to not return the gesture of someone who made an effort and followed me first.
It's exactly what happened to Starbucks in the summer of 2009. Activist, Robert Greenwald, who tried to raise awareness about Starbucks policies on employee unions, spotted a perfect moment to take over Starbucks Twitter campaign.
I came across this news when I was researching for my own social media campaign and it struck me when I read about this ‘hijacking’. Maybe it will sound naïve but I didn’t think people actually do such things. I thought maybe sabotaging the campaign, but not taking control over it.
People describe new media as modern revolution. Is it true?
Social networking is the biggest shift since industrial revolution, claim new media experts. In only four years it took over developed countries beating up traditional media such as TV, radio and newspapers. It is now number one online activity leaving behind porn and web surfing.
It is gradually overtaking the way we shop, socialize, work and do business, learn and fall in love. Statistics show that 1 in 8 married couples in America today met via social media. Though it might not sound new to us, as there were internet chat rooms long before social media existed and people tended to meet with someone they have never seen any way, social platforms offer different things that online chats don't have.
In my previous post I wrote on how twitter and other social platforms can cost you a job. But now I want to show you, how such content sharing sites as YouTube for example can get you a job if you do it in a creative and smart way.
This is exactly how Alec Bedrzycki (woohoo, he has Polish roots :), fresh marketing graduate, used social media to find an entry level position in marketing industry.
Here is his cover letter that actually got him a job:
As social media is now a significant part of many careers out there (such as public relations for example), knowing how to use social platforms for professional purposes can be a big advantage. Being active on facebook and twitter seem to be ‘a must’ nowadays and there aren’t many people left who don’t actually have an account on one or two networking sites.
Popular among individual people at first, social media now are now also necessity for many companies and corporations (just have a look around facebook for instance; there are facebook groups with Starbucks, Ford Motor, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, and many more). As Howard Bragman PR professional and writer said, social media is the future for brands and if none of them wants to fall behind, they have to be active on social platforms. This however makes it difficult for individuals to take part in this online part of life, mainly because of limit forced upon their freedom to express themselves.
I wanted to share with you something I came across while I researched social media for my class. There is so much talking about social media and as if there wasn’t enough of networking sites, there constantly seem to appear new ones (Bebo, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Hi5, Nasza Klasa, Google Buzz, etc. It’s unending competition among them, and honestly some of them are so similar it might seem like a waste of time to even consider joining them).
What I wanted to share with you is this cartoon, which I’m sure reflects confusion of many people out there who perhaps struggle with grasping all new media products appearing nowadays. Watch it here:
I'm a MA PR graduate exploring new concepts of PR and SocialMedia and also writing about everyday experiences to keep my imagination and creativity in writing alive. Read my PR Geek Blog and share your reflections on PR with me, and my other blog 'The Other Idea of Blogging' for a lighter reading and if you like to share your experiences I always welcome comments.
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