Posts tagged community
avin narasimhan
often rambling, but hopefully always interesting
Map Of The Social Web: 2007 - 2010
The smart folks over at Flowtown have recreated the original map of the social web for today’s current digital landscape. Interesting to put them next to each other- not surprisingly, it’s quite literally a different world. Wonder if we’ll see the same total shift in another 3 years. Probably a safe guess, and a good reminder that what’s important isn’t the hot item of the day on the social web, but rather understanding the underlying behaviors + motivations driving it. Social web circa 2007:
And in 2010:
#greatpresentationsof2010: Starbucks On Social Strategy
The Bucket Brigade Has Been Funded. Congrats @bud_caddell
Not much more to say than what I already have. Awesome. 
Comedic Genius: Mel Gibson vs Old Spice Man
This has to be one of the best mashups I’ve seen in a long time. From the talented people at smallpoppy, very well done and the timing is brilliant. Good thing is they had plenty of material to choose from, not just Gibson’s rants but also from the 180+ videos coming out of the brilliant Old Spice responses idea. Parodies often tear down a brand but in this case Old Spice can be happy they’re the hero while Gibson takes the heat (as he should). Enjoy.
Have You Backed The Bucket Brigade Yet?
Last week, I finally got around to backing Bud Caddell’s excellent idea for a new book, The Bucket Brigade. Seems like everyone has weighed in at some point or another with their thoughts on why they are backing it and why the idea makes all the sense in the world, so I won’t spend time repeating what others far smarter than I have said in far smarter ways.
But what I did want to take the time and mention is why I decided to up my pledge from sponsor to editorial board level. I think Tim said it best in his recent post, the reason this project seems to have sparked so much interest is that it is tapping into our collective desire to do something, rather than just talk about it. And let’s face it, there’s always a reason to put off doing something like this. Too busy with our day jobs, not enough time in the day, not sure where to get started, and on and on. There will always be one. But thanks to Bud, the chance to get together with a bunch of insanely brilliant people and really do something interesting in the world is a reality, not just a theory. And I for one am incredibly excited at the possibilities. Congrats to Bud on all of the support he’s received, and thanks to everyone who has also decided to get involved. Can’t wait to see and be a part of what happens. And if you haven’t joined the crew yet, you’ve still got a few days left to become a backer.Genius: Old Spice Even Responds To Removed Comments
We’ve all been hearing and talking about the brilliance of Old Spice’s latest effort today, so I’ll try not to add to much to the echo chamber right now. But I just caught this vid that I think says a lot— taking the time to make a personal response even to a comment that was removed? Priceless.
Job very well done to all involved, though clearly you already knew that. Amazing.
via youtube.comSnapple’s Biggest Lunch Table Tour
Seems like the right idea for them as a brand. Fun way to bring a little bit of happiness into someone’s day that they otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to enjoy. Not unlike what, in theory, a Snapple contributes to your life as a whole. Unless I’m completely missing the point, seems like an opportunity that could’ve been so much more. Maybe there’s more to come, so I suppose I’ll just have to wait and seeAnyone else seen this Lunch Table Tour in your own city? Thoughts on what Snapple is trying to do? Very curious to know more than I’ve seen so far.
Infographic: Coffee Shops As Economic Indicators
Seems like everyday there are a slew of new stories that could tell you very different things about the state of the economy. At the beginning of May, confidence in the economy seemed to be up along with a sense of optimism, but by the end of may, reports are out that spending/incomes are down and so is our confidence. And around and around we go.
Interesting infographic from Mint (latest in a series of smart ones) offers up yet another perspective. Particularly during the worst parts of the recession, many speculated that Americans would permanently shift their behavior, and not go back to spending on some of the things we used to (I often thought the same as well). Perhaps overall this may still have a lot of truth to it. But it’s interesting that, as we approach the middle of 2010, spending on pricey coffeeshop coffee is indeed rebounding strongly (though Starbucks isn’t enjoying as much of a bump as others, apparently). I know I can say my habit has picked up after a few months of cutting back. In some ways it feels like that says more about overall optimism and confidence than gallup poll numbers, and that actions are perhaps leading opinion in this case about how people feel about both their personal economic situation and that of the country as a whole. Maybe it’s a bit of a stretch given this is just one indicator, but still highlights an interesting divide between opinions and actual behaviors, what people say they’re going to do and what they actually do in reality.Visual Story Of The Gulf Oil Spill
Leaving political commentary or tirades about BP aside, I think one thing we can all agree on is that the oil spill in the gulf is something that will fundamentally change many aspects of our culture and the future direction of the country for some time to come. But my guess is for many people, grasping exactly how much so is a bit difficult unless you’ve seen it live. And personally while I’ve been reading everything I can, and have seen bits and pieces of the impact in stories, pictures, videos scattered across the web, this presentation is one of the most powerful collection of images I’ve encountered so far, and probably brought it home most for me.
No long winded wrap around back to brands or marketing, just something that is incredibly powerful and I thought was worth a minute out of all of our days to take in (and a good reminder of how the daily problems and issues we may face as an industry seem rather trivial when put into context with an event that affects us all as human beings on a shared planet).
@UnitedAirlines Tries To Celebrate Twares— But Takes The Fun Out
Talk about squandering a good opportunity. Quick background— United Airlines recently started running a contest to celebrate the 1st birthday of Twares, their weekly fare deal exclusively on Twitter.
Seems straightforward enough right? A good idea that gives people a reason to actually follow this brand, and which provides real value for those who do. But, then you get to the rules page (or should I say pageS….and pageS):
(keep in mind, this is with the page minimized as far as I could get it, and it still took 4 screengrabs to capture it all)
What should be a simple and fun way to celebrate the moment is now mired down in the BS that people have come to expect from the airline industry— hidden fees, fine print, deceptive marketing practices, and just an overall feeling that you’re getting shafted. Yikes. Not the way to win back any love, United.
