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A good parody is an attention grabber, especially when it’s on YouTube.

That’s one of the lessons I learned first hand at the “how to make a viral video” session at SXSW, where along with 500 other people, I had the good fortune to star in a parody video that since it’s posting only four days ago, has already been viewed over 34,0000 times on YouTube.

So here’s what happened. Spoofing the highly popular  surprised kitten video - as in viewed 21 million times popular - Damian Kulash, the You Tube sensation from the OK GO band, pretended to tickle a room full of people in the SXSW audience. See  surprised SXSW audience. If you like this spoof, check out Damian’s attempt to tickle his pet dog, who doesn’t seem at all surprised. See surprised dog.

The SXSW viral video seminar was led by Jonathan Wells, the creative director at Flux,  Margaret Gould Stewart from YouTube, Jason Wishnow from TedTalks and Damian Kulash from OK GO. They were informed and articulate, and it was one of the  more meaningful and lively discussions at SXSW. I learned that many popular viral videos happen not on purpose like, Charlie bit my finger.  So the question is, how do you create a successful viral video on purpose? Here are 10 secrets I learned from this panel of pros:

1. Don’t be a Debbie Downer. Most videos that go viral spread happiness.

2. Go for a sense of wonder, inspiration and surprise, and create content around the unexpected and the great reveal.

3. Use multiple camera angles and close ups so viewers can develop an emotional connection with those on camera. Watch James Watson on TedTalks to see some awesome camera angles and inspired delivery of content, in turn creating  both an emotional and intellectual connection with the speaker.

4. Exclusivity online doesn’t work. Allowing people to embed your video is good common sense.  Science has it that the traffic that drives virality in the first 48 hours is due to embedded video on blogs, not on You Tube.

5. Viral doesn’t always mean having to create original content. You can also curate original content from others and provide a platform to help them gain a larger audience for their content.

6. Create a video people will compulsively want to watch over and over again. One way is to think of the most impossible thing to do. Then do it. That’s the approach taken by  OK GO on their latest video, which took 6 months, 65 takes and 60 engineers to create. But it averages 4-5 views per session.

7. Metadata is the SEO equivalent of making your video go viral. Make sure you tag your video properly once it’s on YouTube so people can find it. It’s also recommended that you connect your YouTube channel with your Facebook account. This way all your YouTube updates will get automatically posted on Facebook.

8. People are compulsive about sharing human experiences. Visceral emotions in video around love, food, sex, and laughter generally get passed around.

9. Viral is in the eye of the beholder. People who come to YouTube from social networks are more interested in what else their friends are watching. The idea is to understand the mindset that people bring with them and build off that in creating your video.

10. Be quirky.YouTube’s top celebs are quirky and lo-fi, but they draw audiences any cable network would envy.

Without a doubt, it’s always fascinating to see smart, unique, and occasionally crazy concepts come to life. Most interesting are those that connect with a brand and really support brand awareness.

I welcome your comments and love to hear what you see working to hook fans with video!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Boston, Social Media, Uncategorized | Add Comment →

Click on the two videos below for a sneak preview of the SXSW discussion called “Pass it Back! Kid Apps on Grown-Up Devices” featuring PBS Senior Director Sara DeWitt  (the actual discussion is on Monday, March 15 @ 5 PM in Ballrooom C in case you are one of the lucky ones in Austin).

Sara tells 360 that she will be revealing real-time research findings from PBS on what kids are learning by using iPhone apps. From what I’ve seen, most parents have a “do touch” instead of a “do not touch” policy when it comes to iPhones and other grown-up devices, and kids at all ages appear more than ready to embrace the technology. Apparently parents are buying apps to entertain and educate their kids in growing numbers. They also use the apps for distraction purposes, such as long rides in the car or to give their kids something to do while waiting in the doctor’s office (at least it’s their own germs and not someone else’s!)

We look forward to hearing Sara’s research reveal, and you can bank on finding the results here on the 360 blog.

Kid Apps on Grown-up Devices

Check out PBS iPhone Apps for Kids!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Mobile Industry, Parenting, Social Media, Uncategorized | 1 Comment →

What is Whrrl?  It’s similar to foursquare in that it’s a mobile locator-based app for smart phones which allows the user to ‘check-in’ at various locations and share their whereabouts with friends via social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The difference is that with Whrrl, you can upload photos to show where you are and what you’re doing.  If friends are with you, their photo and text uploads can be combined with yours to create what Whrrl refers to as a ’story.’  I recently came across this post by Ciaran Blumenfeld, the founder of momfluential.com, especially insightful, as I totally agree with her statement about scrapbooking.  I’ve never had the patience for it either, but I love looking back at photographs and events, and Whrrl might just be the perfect solution for a sentimental social media addict like myself.

From a PR perspective, we at 360 have found Whrrl to be a useful tool in monitoring and tracking activity at client events, in particular.

The issue, as with most social networking sites, is how much is too much?  Should you tweet, use foursquare and Whrrl while out on the town for a night with your friends?  Or just enjoy the company and live for the moment?

The verdict: RT.  Whrrl is a service to watch.

Do you whrrl?  Let us know!

Filed under: Internet, Mobile Industry, Social Media | Add Comment →

In a new series of posts, we’re going to give you our take on the latest technologies, websites, Apps, social networks, etc. that the world is buzzing about.  In other words, should you re-tweet or delete?

 First Up: Chat Roulette.  Chat Roulette is just what its name implies - you log on and either via an AIM-style text exchange, a webcam, or both, converse with other site users around the world.  If you aren’t digging the conversation, just one click and another randomly generated person (note: it’s not necessarily a person, but I’ll explain that later) appears on your screen.

Though Chat Roulette is in its infancy, news of the site is spreading faster than you can hit ‘Next.’  This post from Fast Company describes CR as “YouTube, with even more exhibitionism because everything is live and nothing is being recorded.”  The author of the article, Cliff Kuang, goes on to say “self-published entertainment has officially moved into territory I can barely comprehend.  Parents: One more reason to lock up your daughters.”  I have to agree.  In fact, I’m purposely not linking to the site because I don’t want to encourage you to be subjected to what’s lurking on CR. 

If your curiosity takes over, however, here’s a sampling of what you may encounter:  lots of X-rated activity, scary men in gas masks and people with snorkels sticking their head in fish tanks.  You might even come across Nicole Richie. 

The verdict: due to complete lack of privacy, the site’s one-click access to underage kids, and personal experience, I say delete.

Have you braved the wild wild west that is Chat Roulette?  If so, we’d love to hear about it!

Filed under: Internet, Uncategorized | 4 Comments →

I wonder if there is a Foursquare Anonymous. I’m seriously addicted.  Don’t laugh. Once you try it, you will be too. It’s what I thought Twitter was supposed to be - letting people know where you are and what you’re doing, but there’s so much more value-add than that with Foursquare. It’s not just the “I’m here” but also the “and now what” that makes it soooo powerful and cool. This weekend I was in Stowe, Vermont with my son and his friend. Needed a place to go to dinner, so I checked into Foursquare and found that the Whip Grill was just two blocks away. I was also able to get a great tip on what to order - guacamole made fresh at our table! What’s also neat is how businesses are making the most of Foursquare. When I showed the server at the Whip Grill that I found his restaurant using Foursquare, he handed me a free drink. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m also addicted to the competitive aspect of Foursquare. I’m still a Newbie, but well on my way to unlocking the Adventurer badge. Not to brag, but I”m number one on the leaderboard today.

Foursquare is so practical and easy to use too. Even if you don’t have an iphone or blackberry, you can still use the service by sending SMS messages to 50500. Another neat feature is that you can gain points without letting your friends know where you are (in case it’s a scandalous venue). They know you’ve checked in but you’re “off the grid.” And “shout outs” are fun - you do stuff at a venue and then shout out that you’ve done them.

Love to blog more, but I’ve got things to do and new places to see… thanks to Foursquare.

Are you addicted too?

Filed under: Digital PR, Internet, Social Media, Uncategorized | 9 Comments →

The life-size cardboard cut-out of Edward stopped me in my tracks as I walked the aisles at Toy Fair in New York this week.  ‘Twilight’ was one of the newer licenses dotting booths at the annual toy industry show.  Mattel has cast the Twilight stars - Edward and Bella - as Barbie dolls.  Mattel also unveiled the newest Barbie career dolls: News Anchor Barbie and Computer Engineer Barbie, as voted by fans and getting good buzz at the show.

Anniversaries were another dominant theme at Toy Fair: Etch a Sketch and Slinky celebrate their 50th and 65th (wow, I’m old!); Hello Kitty is 35; and Hasbro introduced a round Monopoly game board in honor of Monopoly’s 75th.   The makers of Rubik’s Cube (a 360 client), which turns 30 in 2010, have rolled out a campaign to empower America’s youth to solve the cube - check out the Rubik’s Facebook page we just set up for the You Can Do the Cube campaign.  You CAN do it!

Our friends at the Toy Book were offering to tweet show news for exhibitors.  Simply stop by Toy Book’s booth at the Javits with your 140 characters and the editors will tweet it out.  Social media made even easier.  You can read all the tweets from the show at #toyfair.

Looking at the appointment schedules our teams booked up for clients, it was striking just how many more bloggers made it to the show this year.  That added some welcomed immediacy and a real-parent perspective to the Toy Fair news stream.  (Love to read your post if you want to leave a link here.)

And here’s one of my favorite Toy Fair images - one that caught the attention of FOX Busiiness - the New York City skyline sculpted out of Bendaroos (a 360 client):

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, PR Industry, Retail | 4 Comments →

Were you confused when you signed in to check your email yesterday and saw a new, multi-colored, pinwheel-like icon in your inbox?  Join the club!

Built into your Gmail page, Google is describing their just-launched Buzz feature as “a new way to start conversations about the things you find interesting.”  But is it Google’s late-to-the-game attempt to claim a piece of the social networking pie?  At first look, we think so. 

Suddenly I have status-like updates clogging my Gmail page.  In my opinion, it’s difficult enough to manage my Facebook and Twitter accounts without having to also alert my Google contacts of my every move/thought/action - I guess my Gmail was a sort of mini-sanctuary up until now. 

So what do you think?  Is Google Buzz a ‘must-do’ or an ‘I could definitely do without?’

Filed under: Social Media | 3 Comments →

Today is said to mark the day that Facebook turns 6, and what a six years it has been.  I came across this great post about the social networking giant on Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech blog, in which writer Jessi Hempel examines six ways that Facebook has “shaped our culture.”  My personal favorite from the list is the way that Facebook has made the word “friend” into a verb.  So from all of your “friends” at 360PR:  Happy Birthday, Facebook!

Oh, and since you’re now thinking about Facebook, here’s the link so you can log on straight from here.  You know you were going to anyway…

Filed under: Social Media | 4 Comments →

Simply stated, social media has changed the way we communicate during disasters. This is now abundantly clear with all of the online activity surrounding the recent earthquake in Haiti.

Over the past couple weeks, there has been a tremendous outpouring of support for the Haitian people. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy donations have exceeded $470 million!

Mobile giving raises the bar

A large portion of donations are coming from The Red Cross’ mobile phone texting campaign. With partners Mobile Accord and the mGive Foundation, Red Cross quickly enacted a mobile texting campaign shortly after the earthquake hit. And with the help of the NFL playoff game spots and other widespread promotions, mobile phone users have donated over $25 million thus far just by texting “90999!” According to this NY Times story, over $500,000 per hour was donated to the Red Cross during recent NFL games. And according to Pew and Twitter-tracking service Sysomos, 189,024 tweets included “90999″ between January 12^th and 14^th. 2.3 million included the word “Haiti” or “Red Cross” in this same time frame. Truly unbelievable!

Relying on social media and citizen journalists

Not only has social media been used to gather donations, but people on the ground in Haiti have used Facebook and Twitter to send updates/photos, while concerned onlookers tune in to the constant stream of updates. In addition, news outlets have relied on social media and “citizen journalists” in their reporting. For example, CNN started a “Haiti Boots On Ground” Twitter list, compiling updates from the CNN reporters on the ground.  CNN’s iReport has also played a key role in their coverage of the disaster.

And companies have rallied to develop mobile apps and websites dedicated to the cause, such as a Creole-to-English translator app .  An organization called “The Extraordinaries” which allows people to complete micro-tasks for organizations or causes, using a mobile phone or web browser in a few minutes, have set up a support page at http://www.beextra.org/haiti to leverage the “power of the crowd” to help locate and identify missing persons.

Our best wishes to the Haitian people and to all of the families affected by the earthquake. Stay strong.

Filed under: Cause-Related, Internet, Media and Press, Mobile Industry, Social Media | 5 Comments →

There’s a lot of confusion about the new rules governing how brands can run contests and sweepstakes on Facebook.  We dug into the rules with help from  360PR friend Susan Getgood, and we’re happy to share our learnings in this post.

Get Your Contest Approved.

The most important thing to know is that all promotions administered on Facebook must be approved in writing by Facebook at least seven days before the start of the contest (advice: try to give two weeks notice to Facebook.)

If you are just promoting your contest, and all the action (entries) take place elswhere, you do NOT need approval from Facebook, but you should also not mention Facebook at all. Our advice is to put a notice on the Tab page announcing the contest that says “this promotion is solely sponsored by (insert your brand or company name here).”

If you are administering the contest on Facebook there are very specific rules and prohibitions including specific language that you must include on the entry form and in the rules. The entry form and official rules must include acknowledgement that Facebook is not involved, a signed release from each entrant, and a company contact for questions from contestants (so Facebook will not be contacted.)  Here are the other important Do’s and Dont’s.

What you CAN’T do

• Run a promo that targets individuals under the age of 18
• Promote gambling, tobacco, firearms, prescription drugs and gasoline
• Offer any of the above as prizes
• Offer dairy as a prize
• Run a sweepstakes that conditions the entry upon purchase or completion of a lengthy task
• You cannot condition entry to the promotion upon taking any action on Facebook, such as updating a status, posting on a profile or page, or uploading a photo (on standard FB areas). Rather, contests must send users to a custom app box in a tab or pop-up window to enter the contest
• Finally, no promotion can use any Facebook messaging mechanism (wall post, chat, message, poke, etc.) to administer the contest or alert winners. Winners must be alerted by email. You can promote the winners on the Facebook wall.

What you CAN do

• Post an announcement about a contests/sweeps on the wall; you just can’t administer it through the wall.
• Administer the contest on your website or on a Facebook tab.
• Run a photo contest in which a user uploads a photo or video through a third-party app to enter the contest.
• You can make being a fan a condition of entering a contest - by not displaying the tab to non-fans, or providing notice that you must be a fan to enter.  BUT, becoming a fan cannot be an automatic mode of entry. That is explicitly prohibited.
• You can instruct visitors to your page to visit the tab/third-party app to enter the promo and they will be prompted for their Facebook account to access the contest. If they don’t have one, they will be prompted to sign up.

Even with the new rules, we’re seeing many fun and engaging brand contests and sweepstakes on Facebook. Here are two examples of brands with great viral mojo doing contests on Facebook (and following the new rules.)

Click here to continue reading →

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Social Media | 10 Comments →

The wait is over!  The first weekly digital news round-up of the New Year is finally here.  I know you’ve been waiting with bated breath to find out what’s going on in the world of social media, so here it is.  To ease you into a year that’s sure to be a digital whirlwind, below are stories to frame your social media savvy for 2010.

Mashable “How Social Media Has Changed Us” -  It’s amazing how many technological innovations have been made in the past decade - Skype, text messaging and the widespread use of blogs, to name a few.  This piece presents some less-obvious ways in which social media has changed our lives and the lives of future generations. There’s no doubt technology has made our lives different, but the article’s author asks the question, “for better or worse?” 

AdAge “The Official Social Media and Mobile Glossary of 2010″ - I like to think of myself as being on the up and up when it comes to social media.  After all, combing through news stories, writing this weekly post and working at a PR agency as part of a dedicated digital team pretty much forces me to be in the know (willingly, of course!)  However, after studying the terms in this article, I feel ignorant.  Quad stalkers?  Deciprocity?  Mobilenecking?  I was fully aware that the actions described by these words existed, but who the heck made up these names to define our digital behavior?

Mashable “Facebook Founder on Privacy: Public is the New ‘Social Norm’” - It honestly scares me that I know friends of friends of friends last names, addresses and places of employment.  That knowledge is as comfortable to Mark Zuckerberg as a home cooked meal.  At a recent awards ceremony, the mastermind behind Facebook made it clear that lack of privacy is the wave of the future.  In my personal opinion, Facebook’s solely to blame for making our public lives private.  As with anything, if you don’t want the ride, don’t get on the bus.

Filed under: Internet, Social Media | Add Comment →

As I have finally conquered the hundreds of e-mails that awaited my return from a week in Las Vegas at CES, I have a moment to reflect on some of the things that struck me about this tradeshow in particular.  This was the first CES that I have attended (though I had plenty of 360PR vets to show me around), and I can assure all who have not been there that the hype is real.  CES consists of massive show floors that stretch across three different convention halls, hundreds of meeting rooms, and spills out to hotel suites all across the city - it is certainly far too much for one person to take in on their own.

Source: www.pcper.com

TWICE Magazine reported that the attendance of the first two days of CES was 112,515, which broke the forecast for the entire show.  In addition, this number was nearly 15,000 more attendees after two days than the previous year - perhaps a positive sign for 2010.  As a PR guy walking the show floor, it was awesome to see so much energy around some of the coolest products I have ever seen.  Some show product trends included tablets, e-readers, 3-D TV’s, and green tech, but there was certainly enough (something like 20,000 products were launched) to keep any techie salivating for days.

In particular, the media energy caught my attention, possibly because they were out in full force.  I was intrigued by the delight of the editors from Popular Mechanics as they handed out their CES Editor’s Choice Awards on Thursday (which Oregon Scientific, a 360 client, was fortunate enough to win).  It was clear that they were just as excited about the awards as they were handing out as were the companies who accepted them.

I first saw evidence of the media excitement at CES Unveiled, which was an event a couple nights before the start of CES.  I staffed a table at Unveiled and was one of the people that was nearly bowled over by the swarms of media that lined up, patiently waiting to get into the ballroom at the Venetian to see what companies had to offer.  From some of the largest media outlets to the smallest tech product review sites, journalist after journalist stopped at our table with a smile and said, “What’s new?!”  These two words, combined with their visible enthusiasm, exemplified just how jazzed these same people who I pitch all year round were to be at one of the greatest tradeshows in the world.  And I was happy to be there with them.

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences | 1 Comment →

Part two of two in our year-end social media recap touches on the more serious side of our evolving online landscape. We hope you enjoy! Let’s get started…

5.  Newspapers Move to Online-Only, Embrace Social Media Back in September, 360PR’s own John LeRoy wrote about the end of the Ann Arbor News’ print publication, and throughout 2009, many newspapers followed suit, moving to publishing their content strictly online and incorporating social media functionality.  Along with the recession came widespread newsroom cuts, and while many papers folded altogether, others can only be found now by visiting the web. Whether you embrace the change or miss the sound of a daily paper landing on your doorstep, the move to online-only is here.

4.  Rise of Mobile Apps If you’re an iPhone lover or a Blackberry devotee, you can’t deny the ease and convenience the downloadable applications that are essential to these smart phones bring.  With the click of a key or the touch of an icon, you can find the nearest gas station, read restaurant recommendations, check out times for movie showings, and much, MUCH more.  Running late for the airport?  There’s an app. that allows you to check the status of your flight. 

3.  Live Stream Presidential Inauguration Not only did 2009 see a new, African-American president in the White House, America saw his inauguration unfold in real-time online.  Courtesy of CNN, those unable to obtain a ticket to the inauguration were able to watch every second from the comfort of their own home.  January 20, 2009 was an extremely historic day in more ways than one.

2.  Moms Online  Nielsen recognized the power of moms’ online presence and released “The Power Mom 50,” 50 of the most influential moms on the ‘net (though Nielsen’s list left off some biggies), and the FTC implemented new rules guiding interactions between brands and bloggers (largely driven by the increase of sponsored content on mom blogs).  Meanwhile, Oprah recognized the importance of moms online when she Skype’d in mom bloggers from across the country in an April episode ‘The Secret Lives of Moms.’ 

1.  Brands and Social Media If you’re a Facebook or Twitter user, you’re likely connected with a few brands online. Jet Blue (@JetBlue,) Comcast (@comcastcares) and Whole Foods (@wholefoods) were among the most followed on Twitter this year.  Top brands on Facebook included Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Disney. But with more brands competing for valuable online space, it will be tricky breaking through the clutter. Starting with a solid fan base will help, but providing the online community with “insider” knowledge and unique insights is what will really make a brand stand out in 2010.

Happy New Year!

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Internet, Marketing to Moms, Media and Press, Social Media | Add Comment →

Well, 2009 is nearly over and 360PR certainly was not going to miss out on the “year end list” fun!  We decided to compile our Top 10 Favorite Social Media Moments of 2009. Sure, the topic may be slightly played out, but does that make it any less important?  2009 concluded a decade of digital innovations: the iPod, BlackBerry, consumer GPS system, etc. And in our eyes, it most definitely went out with a bang!

So here they are, numbers 10 - 6 in our countdown, part one of a two-part social media extravaganza. Whether you think our choices are spot on or off-base, we’d love to hear your comments!

10. Burger King Whopper Sacrifice This year, Burger King challenged its fans to the ultimate test-delete 10 friends on Facebook, get a free Whopper-and created a slew of online buzz in its wake. Alerts popped up on mini-feeds everywhere (i.e. “Skye McIntyre sacrificed Lindsay Durr for a free Whopper”) and friends’ lists suffered significant depletions. But BK’s plan worked! Whether quirky, offensive, or just hilarious, the Whopper Sacrifice taught us all a valuable lesson-you can put a price on friendship, and that price is 1 Whopper.

9. Miley Cyrus Deletes Twitter On a more serious note, teen queen Miley Cyrus made headline news this year when she deleted her Twitter account. Outlets like The New York Times covered the “news” and, to respond to the public outrage inspired by her de-tweeting, Cyrus created this brilliant YouTube video. Wait-why is this #9, again?

8. “JK Wedding Dance” on YouTube This was probably the feel-good YouTube video of the decade. Something about this video struck a chord with online video watchers nationwide. In a year where everyone from Jon and Kate to Tiger and Elin headed for their attorneys, Jill and Kevin Heinz reminded us that love is out there, waiting, and it’s on YouTube. Several Today Show appearances and a hilarious Office spoof later, J&K are still going strong. They even used their tremendous popularity for a good cause; the pair helped raise over $26,000 for the Sheila Wellstone Institute, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence.  People questioned the authenticity of the video and wondered if a marketing team was behind it; marketers wished they could take credit.

7. Swine Flu Infects Social Media Swine Flu was one of the most serious topics of the year with an estimated 50 million cases in the US according to the CDC. However, the disease really went viral when concerned citizens began discussing it across Facebook and Twitter. According to Mashable, swine flu was the #3 topic trend on Facebook and the #2 and #6 trends on Twitter in 2009. For those who think Facebook and Twitter are only platforms for trivial discussions, think again.

6. Celebs on Twitter Want to be alerted every time Diddy sips Cristal? Well now you can-thanks to Twitter! Everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Oprah Winfrey to Shaq started microblogging this year, some more successfully than others (we’re looking at you, Shaq). Missed out on the celeb tweeting action? Check out CelebrityTweet.com to get all the latest updates in one place.

Filed under: Digital PR, Internet, Media and Press, Social Media | 2 Comments →

In honor of Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary in 2009, I thought I’d cap off the year with the Letter of the Day - make that Letter of the Year.  By my guestimation, the letter E was the hardest working letter in the alphabet in 2009 - used in ads, on packaging and in press releases countless times as marketers described their products as having “eco” qualities or making our lives ”easy,” or used “e” to indicate “electronic.”   No doubt D, G and O ranked high as well, for Digital, Green and Obama.

What were some of the other trends in 2009?  Many of us will remember ‘09 as the year of the budget.  The way we talk to consumers (mass-market consumers anyway) has forever changed.  Features are nice, but price was the deciding factor for most in 2009, and marketers worked hard to cast price in the broader context of “value.”

There’s no arguing with features that don’t cost much, in some cases are free, and make our daily routines easier.  For that reason, 2009 was also the year of the app.  Is there anything we cannot do a little better or faster today without the help of an iPhone (or Blackberry) app?  There’s even a site dedicated to apps for moms, The iPhone Mom.

In 2009, the world - or at least a good 40 million of us - learned to think in headlines, something marketers have always been good at.  Twitter opened the floodgate on one-liners, and personalities like Heather Armstrong (Dooce) and Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh amassed audiences rivaling some magazines and double, triple, ten-fold the readership of many newspapers.

Meanwhile, The New York Times cut nearly 10% of its staff, while several magazines - some still thick with ads like Gourmet and Cookie - turned their last pages.  With traditional media on the run, bloggers took center stage and the FTC took notice, with new rules guiding interactions between marketers and bloggers.  Those who attended the swag-fest that was BlogHer ‘09 welcome the formalized rules, a sign blogs are graduating from their teen years to a more mature media channel.

Perhaps least interesting to me in 2009 were the so-called “news” stories that dominated airwaves (and Twitter and Facebook), like “Balloon Boy” and “Kate and Jon,” so painfully familiar to us they don’t need last names.  Those were two of The Today Show’s “Top 10 stories of 2009″ over the weekend, a list I imagine was developed purely for ratings.  I hope.

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Media and Press, Social Media | Add Comment →