Ten Social Media 'Rules' Explored, Debated

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Thanks to all the Emerson College students and everyone else who showed up last night at the Bordy Theater in Boston for the panel on social media. It's nice to see interest in what's going on in the space and its encouraging that people think it's important enough to talk about. Thanks to everyone who came up to speak with me after the panel (including you who loved the Boy Bootie story:-) ). And to all in Twitter Row, watch out. I'm following you now! @SarahHutton, @amyyen, @AmandaMooney, @pamelump, @MariaGarcia, @WillWheeler (sorry if I've missed anyone).

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by Steve Hall    Apr- 3-08    
Topic: Industry Events, Social, Trends and Culture, Word of Mouth



Dating Site's Hook Ups Based on Love of Similar Brands

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Anything launched on April Fool's Day is, by default, suspect which is why Brand-mates, a site on which people can share the brand they love with others, just doesn't seem quite right. A site where brand lovers can create relationships with the brands others love? Sounds like an MBA'd account planner got together with some Web 2.0 type to create this thing. Oh wait, that's exactly what happened!

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by Steve Hall    Apr- 2-08    
Topic: Brands, Online, Social, Strange



Nip/Tuck Facebook Application Calculates Attractiveness

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Is there anyone out there that still actually likes Facebook applications? Oh, sorry, from the looks of my inbox, there is no shortage of application fanatics out there hyping and adding apps. Well, here's another. A branded one created by UK agency Ralph to promote Nip/Tuck on FX in the UK.

Celebrating vapid vanity akin to the show itself, the application lets people highlight key areas on an image of their face and have their attractiveness calculated which can then be compared to others using the app. Oooo...we can just see the friendships this one's gonna break.

by Steve Hall    Mar-28-08    
Topic: Social



Krystal Keeps Branded MySpace Page Trendlet Alive

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Who knew? Apparently, brands still think it's a good thing to create branded MySpace pages. We thought that trendlet was long gone. Nope. Thanks to fast food chain Krystal's Brain Freeze Relief, we can confirm it hasn't completely died off.

But that's not the only trendlet Krystal is trying to extend. They're also doing the fake word thing with the invention of sphenopalatineganglioneuralgia, or brain freeze. OK, so we're kidding on that one. Sphenopalatineganglioneuralgia is a real word. It's a medical term for the ailment more commonly known as brain freeze.

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by Steve Hall    Mar-27-08    
Topic: Online, Promotions, Social



New Social Network ncludr Makes Everyone Your Friend

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In what is clearly a joke or some sort of clandestine promotion for the next greatest social network or some other entity, ncludr.com (get it? includer?) has launched with snarky fanfare including claims it's "the most awesomest ultimate social network ever" with "international membership already in the billions."

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by Steve Hall    Mar-26-08    
Topic: Social, Spoofs



It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Plaid Tour '08!

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Remember that van that looked like it was dipped into the dyeing vat of a private school uniform purveyor? Last year it motored through the East Coast converting heathens to Web 2.0; this year it's going West.

See tentative dates.

About four months from now, the Plaid van will stop at agencies and companies to preach the gospel of social media. Along with new ideas, they will come bearing Twinkies and shirts. (Email Darryl [at] thinkplaid [dot] com if you'd like them to pop by.)

The roadies need sponsors so if you can pitch in some cash, a hotel room or a new fashion tip for that chocolate ride, they'd be much obliged. (So would we.)

by Angela Natividad    Mar-25-08    
Topic: Agencies, Events, Good, Guerilla, Social, Sponsorship



Garfield Gets Dizzy, Catalyst Emerges, NASA Re-Emerges

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- True to form, Bob Garfield reviews a fairly good Sprint commercial and then rips the shit out of it for what he deems dizzying camera work. Bob, you almost Puked? Seriously. You need to see a doctor or use your walker when reviewing commercials.

- Catalyst, the "marketing capital" firm launched by John Durham and Cory Treffiletti is rolling out a new Emerging Media Buying Service (EMS) that will provide planning and buying expertise for online video, mobile, social media, widgets, and gaming.

- Writing on AdFreak, David Griner, whose mom worked at NASA for years and was acting director of the Marshal Space Flight Center for a time, tells us about four NASA workers who are trying to "re-ignite the enthusiasm for space by reaching out directly to today's hyper-connected youth."

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by Steve Hall    Mar-25-08    
Topic: Agencies, Social



Most Think Marketing Should Manage Social Media, We Think It's PR

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Attending Advertising Age's Digital Marketing Conference, Steve Rubel reports attendee sentiment regarding "management" of social media, tweets, "Where should social media lie? Audience poll: 53% in marketing, 5% say in PR, 9% say customer service and 33% say some new division."

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by Steve Hall    Mar-19-08    
Topic: Industry Events, Opinion, Social



Advertising Age's Digital Marketing Conference Reported Twitter-Style

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Like we said yesterday, if you're not at Advertising Age's Digital Marketing Conference, you can get tidbits of it here following David Armano's Twitter feed. Right now (9:45AM) Donny Deutsch is interviewing Jeff Zucker. Some tidbits:

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by Steve Hall    Mar-19-08    
Topic: Good, Industry Events, Social



Follow Ad Age's Digital Conference With Twitter

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If you're a Twitter user, you work in advertising and you really wanted to go to Advertising Age's Digital Marketing Conference today and tomorrow in New York but couldn't, you can follow the Tweets of those who are there. While there are likely many Twitterati there, the ones I know about are http://twitter.com/THespos1, http://twitter.com/steverubel and http://twitter.com/Armano.

by Steve Hall    Mar-18-08    
Topic: Industry Events, Social