360PR Blog

By John LeRoy

As you may have heard, Facebook announced some MAJOR changes to the platform last week that have already begun to roll out.  The most significant of these changes is the complete overhaul of personal Facebook profiles into the new “Timeline” format.  For a full breakdown of what changes Facebook users can expect to see in the coming days and weeks, check out this Mashable article, but here are a couple of the highlights:

1)    The New “Timelines”: Individual user profiles will now look entirely different, taking more of a “scrapbook” approach to detail a users every move.  Timelines will eventually become the default Facebook profile.

2)    App-roval: Once a user opts-in to share information for any given app, the info will begin to automatically show up on Facebook with each action within the approved app.  Many users have likely already experienced this feature as they see what songs their friends are listening to on Spotify, for example.

3)    Facebook Gestures: Developers are now able to turn any action into a button – such as read, watched, etc.  It will be interesting to see how brands take advantage of this feature now that “Like” is not the only option.

In regards to what will happen to brand pages, Facebook has not made any official announcements and it has many marketers (including us!) patiently waiting to see how clients will be affected and what adjustments to current tactics will need to be made.

While brand pages and their managers wait to see how, exactly, they will be affected, Mashable’s Todd Wasserman gives his thoughts on “What Facebook’s Changes Mean For Marketers.”

Leave us a comment about what you think of Facebook’s coming changes.  A disturbance to the current marketing mix or a golden opportunity to get creative?

Filed under: FaceBook, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking by Admin - 1 Comment →

By John LeRoy

Many of the “who’s who” of social media converged upon 92^nd Street in New York City for the 140 Characters Conference this week for a two-day session comprised of rapid-fire presentations from more than 140 speakers and presenters.  Among them were TODAY Show’s Ann Curry, Mashable’s Adam Ostrow, Marc Ecko, Cory Booker and Jeff Jarvis, just to name a few.

If you missed it, here is a brief breakdown of some of the topics discussed at the conference:

-       Real-time News Reporting:  One panel examined journalistic issues that must now be considered by news organizations as they vie to be the first to “break” news stories. Recent examples include top-tier news orgs like NPR prematurely Tweeting that Arizona Rep. Giffords had been killed during a shooting five months ago.  Here’s an article about the damages caused by this gaffe.

-       College In Real-Time:  Syracuse University professor, Anthony Rotolo, gave an overview of how he has implemented social media into his courses to conduct conversation during classes via Twitter, perhaps making him one of the few teachers who encourage the use of technology (and social media) as a tool rather than rejecting it as a learning distraction.

-       Happiness (Via Skype):  Author Deepak Chopra addressed an enthusiast from Toronto via Skype to talk about happiness and the “entanglement of minds,” referring to the fact that social media has the ability to affect nearly all aspects of life, including happiness and health, simply by interacting with others.  He went as far as to say that social networks like Twitter and Facebook have become extensions of our neurological make-up.  Talk about mind-blowing!

Here’s the entire list of sessions that took place over the course of the two day conference. If you were there, what sessions stood out for you?

Filed under: Digital PR, Events and Conferences, FaceBook, Internet, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking by Admin - No Comments →

Earlier this week Facebook launched a new website for ad and PR agencies. Facebook Studio showcases examples of organizations that are using the platform to reach & engage with consumers and the site includes a Gallery of work, a Spotlight section, and an Awards section. The Studio also provides a venue for discussion around the use of Facebook for brand marketing and features a Learning Lab with general information about Facebook marketing.

According to this Ad Age article, this is Facebook’s way of  establishing more of a “give-and-take relationship” with agencies. Not only does it make sense…it is about time! If you think about it, you might say that agencies / brands have partially helped Facebook grow into what it is today. For years, brands have experimented with and used the platform for promotions, which has ultimately led to more revenue for Facebook via it’s advertising service. With so many brands and agencies using the platform for marketing in recent years, it is surprising that Facebook hasn’t reached out to agencies in this way sooner. This is a step in the right direction and I look forward to seeing if Studio flourishes into an active community!

Filed under: Digital PR, FaceBook, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →

…they were all topics discussed in yesterday’s 360PR Tweets & Sweets meeting! The 360PR crew gathered around bowls of delectable spring-themed candy and salty snacks to chat about interesting social media and digital case studies from recent weeks. I took note of three trends based on the discussion:

- Late Night Social: PR people and brands aren’t the only ones integrating social media into communications efforts. TV producer’s have been getting creative with ways to keep audiences engaged via Facebook and Twitter. For example, Conan O’Brien recently live-posted on Facebook during an episode of his show, conducting hilarious video Q&As with fans during the program. The videos led to tons of engagement on the Facebook page. In addition, Jimmy Fallon has integrated social media within his show with the popular “Late Night Hastag” segment, which garners thousands of tweets surrounding each segment.

- Social Election 2012: The 2012 presidential election is right around the corner, believe it or not. And following President Obama’s heavy social media campaigning in 2008, candidates for the 2012 race are getting out in front with social media communications. For example, Mitt Romney released a video on Monday on YouTube announcing his entrance into the race. It has received over 80K views thus far. And, following Obama’s announcement on Twitter, Romney quickly tweeted back saying “@barackobama I look forward to hearing details on your jobs plan, as are 14m unemployed Americans.” This will be an interesting race to watch!

- Social Coupons: Some brands are taking advantage of the social couponing craze on Facebook, including Healthy Choice and Pretzel Crisps. Healthy Choice launched a “progressive” coupon on Facebook and the value of it increased the more people “liked” the brand’s page. The campaign was supported with a Facebook ad buy and “likes” jumped from about 6,000 to 60,000! In addition, Pretzel Crisps (a snack food favorite here at 360) has also gotten some positive attention lately, for their Facebook coupons. With a couple simple coupons, and Facebook’s viral nature, Pretzel Crisps was able to double their Facebook “likes” in about 36 hours!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Digital PR, FaceBook, Interactive Marketing, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, YouTube by EliciaBasoli - No Comments →

Yesterday marked day one of the first Radian6 User Conference – Social 2011. After a full schedule filled with engaging keynote speeches, fun sessions (note: want to get an audience’s attention? Crank some Lady Gaga), and Radian6 product announcements that will certainly change the way marketers listen to the conversations surrounding their brand, the day’s takeaway was this: social media is where life is happening.

The numbers are staggering. According to Dell’s CMO Karen Quintos, two-thirds of people online are engaged in social networks. 700 billion minutes are spent on Facebook every month. Your mobile device is no longer a phone. As @mitchjoel so wisely said in today’s closing keynote, “It’s a remote control for your life.”

As communication pros have known for some time, just because you’re not an active participant in the conversation, it doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about you. And increasingly, people are talking about you (and your brand, and your products) at a faster pace and on more platforms. If you’re not talking back in a strategic manner, you’ll be left behind.    

Social media is now where our lives play out, for better or for worse. And it’s happening fast.

If you’re interested in learning more about Social 2011, check out the website or follow the Twitter stream.

Filed under: Events and Conferences, FaceBook, Internet, Social Media, Uncategorized by SkyeMcIntyre - 1 Comment →

By Caitlin McNamara

In the wake of the 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, and a following tsunami, many took out their phones to call their loved ones but soon found out that the lines were down. So what was next? Social media, of course.
 
Under one hour after the earthquake devastated Japan, Google launched their “Person Finder”  application on their homepage. The “Person Finder” was built by the Google Crisis Response team, which is made up of a philanthropic group under the Google umbrella. The “Person Finder” is an interactive database in English and Japanese that allows users to search for missing persons online or submit information about people who are injured or are missing. To date, there are approximately 7,200 records being tracked on “Person Finder.” Not only is this database being used for the Japanese earthquake/tsunami, but was also used for the Haiti earthquake and the Christchurch earthquake.
 
Twitter, with an estimated 10 million active users in Japan, spiked with Japanese related hashtags, such as #prayforJapan, #Fukushima and #Sundai. #TokyoDisneyland also soon shot up in the trending list as a TwitPic was released of Japanese tourists sitting in the middle of the earthquake at Disneyland. Many people have also used Twitter to state their grief for those in Japan as well as their concerns on other aspects of the disaster. 
 
While Facebook is one of the top social media outlets in the world, its popularity has not translated equally in Japan. Similar to Facebook is the social media outlet, Mixi, which is Japan’s largest social network. However, many Americans overseas in Japan have utilized Facebook to spread a mass note to their family and friends letting them know that they are alive and well.
 
Lastly, mobile networks such as AT&T have begun using text messaging to help raise funds. AT&T wireless customers can text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to give a $10 donation to help Red Cross with disaster relief support. No text message fees will apply. This offer lasts until March 31.  
 
As more and more reports are released on the aftermath of the horrific earthquake and tsunami in Japan, many will continue to use social media as a way to communicate not only their locations, but also as a way to vent their frustrations and grieve their losses. Social media has become a way to spread awareness throughout the world in a matter of seconds. We will continue to look to social media as an up to the minute resource on the Japanese disaster, and we will all continue to pray for #Japan.

Filed under: Charity, FaceBook, Social Media, Social Networking by Admin - 1 Comment →

Over the past year, we’ve seen more and more brands going beyond just using Facebook for pure engagement with consumers. Many are now using it as a commerce platform as well – and it makes perfect sense. For one,  consumers often look for coupons or discounts from brands on social platforms (according to a 2010 study*, when asked what type of interaction people are looking for when engaging with companies/brands online, 77% of respondents said they are looking for incentives).

If consumers are pro-actively seeking sales-related messages, why not actually SELL products where they “live” on Facebook? Go for it. Just make sure that your brand’s sales-related messages are not too intrusive.

So how do you sell on Facebook? Facebook storefronts are often developed by third-party software developers who integrate a ”Shop Now” section into a brand’s existing page. This allows retailers, like Best Buy, and brands themselves, like Pampers, to showcase products on their page and, more importantly, make those products “shareable” to consumers. The Pampers example is particularly noteworthy, as it was P&G’s first foray into the F-commerce space  and they launched their store using Amazon.com’s eCommerce capabilities, last fall.

They’re not alone. 1800flowers.com, diapers.com, and Hallmark are just a few others that have jumped into F-commerce. Mashable lists some other examples in this recent article.

Have you ever purchased anything, as a result of clicking around on a brand’s Facebook page?

*Source: Cone 2010 Consumer New Media Study, October 2010

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, FaceBook, Interactive Marketing, Internet, Social Media, Social Networking by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →

If you or your company has a Facebook “Page”, you’ve likely heard about the new changes that will be implemented for brands (the official launch date is March 10th). These changes will require some adaptation in the design of your page, and possibly the administration of it as well. In a nutshell:

• Tabs are now gone and have been replaced with a list of content categories below the profile image. This means content previously viewed in tabs is now less prominent to visitors. Moving forward, brands should prioritize what content they want to appear in this content list and how to leverage other new elements – profile image, etc. to draw attention to certain content.
• A new photo strip appears above the Page wall. Brands should keep a close eye on these photos, to ensure that they display content relevant to the  desired message.  This is going to be challenging to adapt to, as the photo strip is now so prominent. Check out this article on Journalistics.com, which calls this change “Fan Page Photo Roulette”.
• The wall will now feature content from either you only, or from Everyone. And, posts will be organized by the most popular content, as opposed to chronological content.
• Brands can now “Like” more Pages and comment on those Pages, as the brand (instead of the individual).
• Brands can now subscribe to email updates, when new content is added to the Wall. And, more importantly, brands can subscribe to email alerts when any profane language is posted by fans. This is particularly helpful for Brands that frequently have content like this to moderate.

When you play in the social media realm, brands loose some of the control that they have with their own websites, for example. It comes with the territory! Facebook is constantly keeping brands on their toes – whether they are revising their contest guidelines or mixing up brand page designs.

How have these changes impacted your Brand Page?

Filed under: Digital PR, FaceBook, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking by EliciaBasoli - 3 Comments →

By Amanda Gonzalez

It’s Valentine’s Day! Have you already picked up your card, chocolates, flowers, jewelry, etc?! If not, you better get on that pronto. But these Valentine’s Day staples aren’t the only way to show that special someone you care.

In a recent USAToday.com article, the newspaper shows us how marketers are using social media (like Facebook, Twitter, email, etc) to push their product and brand and help Valentines the world over display their affection in a unique way.

Mattel used Valentine’s Day to write another chapter in the epic love story of Barbie and Ken by asking fans to vote on whether or not the couple should get back together (they went their separate ways in 2004) and using Facebook and Twitter to give Ken a voice.  They also turned Barbie’s Facebook page into an online store on Valentine’s Day selling merchandise from the famous couple. FYI – they reunited today!!

We at 360PR also got into the Valentine’s Day promo mood as our Safety 1^st client launched a Valentine’s Day giveaway on both Facebook and Twitter of their new S1 product line. Not only did entrants get to enter for a great travel system, but they also got to post adorable pictures of their little lovies on Facebook AND $1 was donated for every entry towards infant health kits for families in need!

Have you chosen your Valentine yet?! Did you see any great Valentine’s Day promotions that you thought were clever/unique? Comment below and share!

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, FaceBook, Internet, Retail, Social Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized by Admin - 1 Comment →

You may remember 360 Social’s round-up of 2009 social media moments from last year. Well, in 2010, we turned the proverbial mic over to Lindsay Durr and Skye McIntyre. In this video, Lindsay and Skye recap some of the top moments from this year including everything from the Old Spice campaign and the surge in group deal sites, to the trend of “underage and online” and TIME’s “Person of the Year,” Mark Zuckerberg. Check it out!

Did we miss anything? Share in the comments…

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, FaceBook, Internet, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, YouTube by EliciaBasoli - 2 Comments →

We’ve told you about our 360 “Tweet and Eat” lunches before. But, this month we put a different spin on it – instead of the middle of the day, we gathered in the conference room at the end of the day, so we could all enjoy a cocktail or two while sharing some interesting case studies around the use of social media. Here are just a few highlights:

Ford Explorer Facebook Reveal – Earlier this year, Ford took a risk by revealing the new Explorer with an online and Facebook-central campaign, something that other auto-makers have never done. They revealed the new Explorer for the first time on Facebook, instead of at a big auto show. In the first day it surpassed its goal of 30K fans and, as a result, gave a free Explorer to one random fan. In addition all of the components of the campaign on Facebook, Ford heavily invested in ad buys as well to drive people to Facebook and to encourage engagement. This is a great example of a fully integrated online campaign. Check out the full case study on Mashable.

Google Zeitgeist Video - Google has compiled a video, with the help of Whirled Creative, showing how the world searched online in 2010. Over 1.5 million views on YouTube thus far! The most brilliant part of this video is that it subtly shows off some new Google features that launched this year, such as Google Instant. We highly suggest checking out the video – well done, Google!

“Rent is Too Damn UP” Spoof Video – By coincidence, another examples highlighted by staff also came from Whirled Creative. If you haven’t heard of Jimmy McMillan he ran for office in NY earlier this fall and named his political party the “Rent is too damn high” party. Really, that was the name of his party. The eccentric McMillan appeared during a televised debate and the video garnered millions of views on YouTube. Whirled Creative created a spoof mash-up, overlaying the voices from the debate onto a scene from the Pixar movie “UP” which has received over 300,000 views. Perfect example of a “viral” video leveraging current events to garner views.

Happy Holidays!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Digital PR, FaceBook, Internet, Social Media, Social Networking, YouTube by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →

There is a little movie that has been getting a lot of buzz the past few weeks. Have you heard of it? The Social Network is about the life of 20-something billionaire Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook.com. The 360 team all headed to the theater last night to check it out – we loved it! And, we’re not the only ones. The movie has been #1 for the past couple weeks and is receiving Oscar nomination buzz.

Since seeing the movie, we’ve all been wondering how much truth is in the storyline? You see, the movie is based on Ben Mezrich’s book “The Accidental Billionaires” and on court documents filed in a series of lawsuits by Zuckerberg’s fellow students from Harvard. It is NOT endorsed by Facebook or Zuckerberg, who has been quoted saying that the story is largely fiction. The friends / classmates who sued Zuckerberg claiming that he stole their idea for the website may beg to differ.

Regardless of whose idea Facebook was, what is more important is simply that it was created. Facebook has changed the way millions of people communicate – 500 million, to be exact!

Speaking of Facebook, if you haven’t visited the 360PR Facebook Page, check out our page here.

Filed under: FaceBook, Social Media, Social Networking by EliciaBasoli - 3 Comments →

By Amanda Gonzalez

Celebrities, fashion, speeches, kitschy musical numbers and Betty White (of course!) made up the 62^nd Primetime Emmy Awards last night hosted by Jimmy Fallon.  Aside from the usual elements of the glitzy show, another component was present in a big way this year – social media.

This year there were more options than ever to watch and interact with the awards show.  NBC utilized Facebook, Twitter, Ustream, yfrog, NBC.com, AccessHollywood.com, and Emmys.com to allow fans to catch exclusive content of the show and promote a conversation.

Fans were encouraged to send their best tweet about presenters via a special NBC.com website or using the hashtag #imontheemmys and Jimmy Fallon would read select tweets to introduce the presenters in a new twist to the veteran show.

While this was an innovative way to engage the audience, especially younger viewers, the execution was a little off.  Tweets such as “Tina Fey: I’d hit that” left something to be desired.  Hats off to the Emmy’s though for sparking that conversation on the social media site especially since, as of this post, some of the top trending topics for Twitter still include “Emmy Awards,” “Emmys” and big winner “Modern Family.”

The Emmy Awards didn’t just stop at Twitter, though.  Celebrity super-fans were also encouraged to go to UStream.com beforehand to catch a live stream of the red carpet and also during the show for a live backstage stream of the green room, makeup room, press room and more.

If that wasn’t enough, true celebrity stalkers could get their new computer background from yfrog where the website posted pictures of those A-listers who stopped by the yfrog Photo Booth and Ryan Seacrest streamed pictures & video from the red carpet.  Check them out here.

All of this new interaction may have also contributed to a slight rise in viewership this year as the show drew in 13.5 million viewers compared to last year’s 13.47.

So did you watch the Emmys last night? Did you tweet, watch the live backstage stream or checkout your favorite celebs photos?  Did you like the social media twist this year?  Leave your comments and let us know!

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, FaceBook, Internet, Social Media by Admin - No Comments →

By Vanessa MacAulay

This week Facebook began implementing changes to company pages/tabs. If you are a brand on Facebook, the changes will impact you in a couple ways. Here’s the scoop:

1) Limited Tab Space

With the new design, a company/brand’s profile picture is prominently featured in the left hand navigation at all times. This means 1/3 less space on all custom tabs.

Brands should make sure that your tabs will fit within the new design by signing into your Company’s page (Facebook will automatically give you a preview of the new size of any page you administer). If your current tabs do not fit, you may have to re-design the tabs to the new specs.

Facebook's Old Tab Design vs New Tab Design

2) Prominent Profile Pictures

More than ever the Company’s profile picture is prime Facebook real estate, as the left hand navigation will be viewable to fans, no matter what tab they are on.

Make the most of it! Jazz up your brand’s profile picture with more than just a logo. Create a contest like Babies R Us and Dunkin Donuts. Or try adding a lifestyle shot like Victoria’s Secret Pink or J.Crew.

Sample Brand Profile Photos on Facebook

Facebook is keeping us on our toes! What changes will you make to your brand’s Facebook page given the new design?

Filed under: FaceBook, Social Media by Admin - No Comments →

360PR is out in full force at BlogHer this weekend (#360PR  , #BlogHer10) , as are dozens of brands showing off their wares and services to attendees.  Are you at BlogHer? If so, we want to know which brand/s you think are doing the best job of breaking through. Visit our Facebook page throughout the weekend to cast your vote in our poll!

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Events and Conferences, FaceBook, Social Media by EliciaBasoli - No Comments →