September 2011
3 posts
7 tags
Facebook Isn't Working For Brands? It's Because...
Please note: this post was written on Sunday, September 18, before Facebook tweaked their user interface and then “became profoundly changed.” However, the ideas and strategies here remain unchanged for the time being. Interestingly enough on September 23, a thought piece by Brian Solis was published on Harvard Business Review, giving further credence to my thoughts below .
I...
6 tags
Help! Brands Have Invaded My Newly Unoptimized...
Let me start this out by saying that I’m the guy who typically makes fun of people for complaining about chances to the user interface of their favorite website or social service. I understand that human beings typically don’t like change, and even if the change will eventually be beneficial to them, it is uncomfortable and something to rebel against.
Today, I’m going to be that...
6 tags
Facebook Posts And Engagement: Why Lifestyle...
I was perusing Social Media Examiner today, and I came across an article called “7 Ways To Get Noticed On Facebook.” There were some helpful tips about “news feed optimization” (how to get your brand/business into the newsfeed of your followers) and I highly recommend reading it. However, what really inspired this post was a response below the article. The comment read as...
August 2011
2 posts
9 tags
Privacy Isn't An Outdated Concept, But A New...
I came across a blog post by @LaurenFisher of “Simply Zesty” this morning and I felt compelled to chime in with my two cents. The crux of her piece:
The idea of privacy, I believe, will be a completely outdated notion in just a few years time as the days of being able to hide behind a pseudonym or do anything in our day to day lives without it all being trackable, archived and...
8 tags
Interactive Ads on Pandora Are Fun & Smart - Now...
I recently became a “Pandora One” paid user, primarily to enable high quality streaming, but also with the intent of getting rid of ads. I don’t regret the decision one bit, especially since Pandora’s new layout was recently rolled out exclusively to Pandora One users before the general public. However, I’m intrigued by Pandora’s advertising model - especially...
July 2011
1 post
3 tags
NYT Gadgetwise: Is Google’s Hangouts Its Killer... →
This might be the Google+ functionality that really sets it apart from other social networks. Having the ability to watch YouTube videos (and maybe eventually Hulu videos) while virtually hanging out seems like a lot of fun.
The question is, what level of friend do you have to be with someone in order to get on a webcam with them? Will this help to form more meaningful relationships between...
June 2011
3 posts
5 tags
Turntable.FM - A New Way For Musicians/Bands To...
Buzz about the music discovery and social service Turntable.FM is approaching Chatroulette levels (and without a penis problem, thankfully). Unlike Chatroulette, I see this website sticking around beyond “flavor of the week” status - especially if more musicians and bands follow Talib Kweli’s lead and embrace the service as another way to engage and communicate with their fan...
3 tags
“Just had a five minute conversation with my boss about how she couldn’t get a QR...”
– Email from a good friend. It’s a crazy world out there.
8 tags
On Memolane, The Importance Of Digital Archives &...
Think about all of the digital content you create every day and share across various social media services. Now think about how often you actually stop and reflect on all of the information about your life that is scattered around the interwebs. You don’t do that very often, do you?
Wouldn’t it be great if you could easily look back at all of those Facebook posts, Twitter tweets,...
May 2011
1 post
6 tags
An Example Of GREAT Targeted Advertising On...
Late last year, I was bothered by Buick’s awful targeted advertising on Facebook. They wanted me to “like” their brand for a chance to win a trip to New York City, but I already lived in New York City. Awful use of contextual advertising and enough to make me question whether or not marketers understand the true power of Facebook ads.
It only took 6 months, but yesterday...
November 2010
3 posts
8 tags
My Wife's Painful Search For An iPad Case - With...
Over the past couple of days, I’ve been observing a fascinating experience that my wife Heather has been having while seeking out a new case for her new iPad.
First, a little background. Heather is an extremely methodical, process-driven person and doesn’t often make shortsighted decisions. Combine these traits with the vast level of information available on the internet and an...
4 tags
Some Thoughts About Eve 6 At The Mercury Lounge -...
Some of my thoughts and photos from the Eve 6 show at Mercury Lounge this past Monday night…
7 tags
An Example Of Bad Targeted Advertising On...
Ummmmm… I already live in New York City (and Facebook knows this). I don’t need a trip to here. And by the way, what value does Buick get from me “liking” them just to win a free trip? It doesn’t mean I actually like them. It means I’m clicking a button to try to win a free trip. In reality, it is Buick’s way of forcing their social media...
October 2010
6 posts
3 tags
7 tags
My Key Takeaways From The First Annual Pivot...
From Sunday October 17 through Tuesday October 19, I had the privilege of attending the first annual Pivot Conference here in NYC. The conference was described as “a marketing conference for brand marketers who seek to understand the style, attitudes, technologies and preferences of the 18–34 year old consumer as they make first-time brand choices.” The description wasn’t very accurate, as...
7 tags
The New Online Privacy Paradigm And How It Relates...
An interesting debate regarding Facebook privacy and journalistic ethics sparked up on my @StadiumInsider Twitter account.
A minor league beat reporter for the Yankees announced an injury update via Twitter, someone else asked for an injury update about another player. It turns out the other player’s injury only became public because a fan was friends with the player on Facebook. The...
6 tags
How Not To Communicate Your Political Message To...
First off, let me admit that I haven’t paid ANY attention to the apparent NY Congress race leading up to election day. I’m not rooting for anyone in this race. My brain is so accustomed to blocking out the bullshit from politicians that I’ve just been completely apathetic.
This afternoon, I received a call from U.S. Congress candidate (NY’s 14th District) David Brumberg...
5 tags
Yeah, The WikiLeaks Founder Walked From An...
I probably should have taken more of an active interest in the WikiLeaks story, but until now, I’ve been keeping abreast of the situation and not much more. With today’s news of Julian Assange walking from a CNN interview, my interest has been piqued.
This latest WikiLeaks news REEKS of media narrative. Thankfully, it seems that people are starting to sniff out the bullshit - as...
20 tags
The New Consumer Engagement Model - Team Epiphany...
Last Monday, I had the opportunity to attend a very interesting event, organized by Advertising Week and the branding agency Team Epiphany. The subject of the panel discussion was “The New Consumer Engagement Model,” featuring an interesting group of speakers (hyperlinked names lead to their Twitter accounts):
Marc Ecko (founder of Complex Magazine and Marc Ecko Clothing)
Stephanie Agresta...
September 2010
4 posts
8 tags
Klout Responds To "Klout Perks" Concern: Targeting...
Last week, I voiced my concerns about the “Klout Perks” influencer outreach program, based on an experience with my “influential” @StadiumInsider Twitter account. To sum it up, I opined that if influencers accepted too many perks, or broadcast the idea that they were influencers, they’d eventually lose their influence. I used my experience at Fox’s Lone Star...
7 tags
Will Klout Affect The Organic Nature Of Online...
Lately, I’ve become increasingly intrigued by Klout.com and their Twitter influencer outreach program, “Klout Perks.” Klout was on my radar for a while (I had checked my score and had been invited to a “Klout Up” in NYC once), but I really started paying attention once Virgin America and Starbucks partnered with them. In achieving partnerships with two of the top...
8 tags
Social Media Marketing Speed Bumps - How A...
Most would agree that we’ve reached the saturation point of major brand social media marketing immersion. Fortune 500 companies are holding “digital days” for management, Twitter and Facebook are key facets of corporate strategy and every company wants to reap the rewards of social media involvement. Unfortunately, there are speed bumps ahead.
Many see the warning signs. Eric...
2 tags
It Is Time For QR Codes To Come West
QR codes - popular abroad, funny looking barcodes here in the U.S. In reality, they hold the power to bring a stale medium to life.
Savvy marketers have been talking about the impact that QR codes are going to have on advertising for a long time, but I’m more intrigued by the impact they are going to have on the medium of print in general.
A couple of days ago, I was reading an article...
August 2010
10 posts
6 tags
Facebook's Places Doesn't Excite Me... Yet
Have you heard the news??? Location services are all the rage! Stop the presses! This is gonna be big.
Of course, to the tech and social media savvy, Thursday’s introduction of Facebook Places piqued some interest, but it was something we all knew was coming. We’ve been using Foursquare and Gowalla for almost two years now, checking in for every cup of coffee at Starbucks, burger at...
5 tags
The Evolution Of Public Relations In A Globally...
So, I went off on a bit of a tangent on my @StadiumInsider Twitter account. This has nothing to do with the Yankees, but I hope it wasn’t lost on EVERYONE who just expects random Yankees chatter from me.
Just in case it WAS lost on everyone, I’m posting it here so it doesn’t get lost into space with the rest of the world’s tweets.
This will most likely become a...
10 tags
Why Your TiVo HD Is Obsolete And Your TiVo...
TiVo (not DVR, the actual brand) is something of a darling in our society. Even though TiVo’s products appeal to more of a niche crowd, the brand is widely accepted as the top of the DVR food chain and one of the darling tech companies. These days, I’m not so sure they deserve it.
For the longest time, I was one of the Kool-Aid drinkers. “The OS is so much more cutting...
3 tags
UES Shake Shack: Open & Packed
As any savvy Upper East Sider knows, the new Shake Shack on 86th street opened this weekend. Unfortunately, as was expected, the wait for a simple burger has been out of control, with the line sometimes extending the length of 86th street.
In order to save myself the trouble of leaving my apartment to get a burger, only to realize the line is longer than any rational person would ever stand in, I...
2 tags
1 tag
WatchMax the cat vs. disembodied hands
I promise I won’t post many cat videos, but this one was irresistable.
1 tag
“If you were a race horse, I’d put my money on you.”
– Sometimes one needs a little inspiration to get them through this thing called life, and it can come in the most unlikely form. Just something simple to kickstart them on the journey to their “personal legend.”
We get beaten down by corporate culture, problems in our home life,...
2 tags
2 tags
Bathroom Etiquette
Burning question… What is going through someone’s mind when there are three bathroom stalls, someone is in one of the end stalls and they choose the middle stall to do their business?
Does this type of person like to be in close proximity to others while moving their bowels?
2 tags
WatchI give this AM New York guy no more than a month before he burns out or someone attacks him. This is the end of week three.