360PR Blog

With another wildly successful 360 “Tweet and Eat” lunch under our belts, we are not only a few pounds heavier, but are also fully up to speed on recent hits and misses of digital marketing and PR.  Some of the case studies shared during lunch were so great we just couldn’t keep them to ourselves!  Here are a few of the highlights:

Vitamin Water and Eclipse (movie) Facebook Contest - Surrounding the release of the third Twilight movie, Eclipse, Vitamin Water launched a new Vampire-like drink. To promote it, they launched an Eclipse contest on their Facebook page where fans could win tickets to see the movie and unlock exclusive Eclipse posters! For such a fan-brand, this campaign is smart and engaging for the user. A no brainer!

Denny’s Menu Misprint = FAIL! - An older example, but one worth mentioning is from earlier this year when Denny’s misprinted the company’s Twitter handle on menus that were distributed to 1,500 Denny’s locations across the country. The menus asked customers to “join the conversation” by checking out the Twitter.com/dennys handle, which does not actually belong to Denny’s. Moral of the story? Pay closer attention to the details. More details in this CNET article.

Orbit Gum Web Shorts – In June, Orbit Gum launched a series of HILARIOUS web video shorts staring comedien/actors Jason Bateman and Will Arnet. This must have cost Wrigley’s a fortune, but it seems to be doing really well so far. The first video, Prom Date, has recieved over 220K views on YouTube!

And, it’s not really a case study, but for fans of “The Office,” character Ryan started his own social network called “Woof.” Check it out for a good Friday afternoon laugh.

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

The little black dress has always been a classic addition to any woman’s wardrobe, but could you wear one for a whole year? Sheena Matheiken did.

Sheena set out on a one-year journey, the “Uniform Project,” last May to exercise sustainable fashion and raise money for children in India. Every day she reinvented her outfit with recycled and donated accessories, which were photo-documented and posted on the Uniform Project blog daily.

Through a very savvy use of social media, Sheena and the Uniform Project were able to raise $94,958 and send 263 children to school. Take a look at the video below featuring all 365 outfits!

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

What are some other examples of people using social media to raise money for charity?

Filed under: Cause-Related, Charity, Digital PR, FaceBook, Internet, Social Media, Social Networking by Admin - 2 Comments →

Parents don’t let kids social network alone.

That’s the thinking behind Togetherville, a juvi-social network where the 10 and under set can hang out with their parents online and give social networking a whirl in a safe online neighborhood.

It’s free to join and parents create their child’s account through their own Facebook log-in. Parents can “play” with their kids online – hence the together in Togetherville – and can approve or reject friends that their children ask to bring into their neighborhood. Creator Mandeep Singh Dhillon told CNET.com that it’s all about creating accountability. He said, “Togetherville allows parents to create neighborhoods of the real people in their child’s life to be around their kid as they grow up online.”

Similar to Disney Digital Books, the site looks different for parents and children. And in this kiddie-size version of Facebook, your kids can comment on a status update using canned responses called “quips.” The site does let kids write their own free-form messages, but they must be approved by the parent before being sent. From the kids site, the games, videos and other activities are all pre-screened and no ads are allowed. From the parents site, you can send your kids notes and gifts, look at their activities and see what they’re creating. Kids also get passports that they can fill up with badges by playing games and watching videos on the site.

Let’s face it, kids under 13 are not allowed on Facebook, but they are joining anyway. And while there are some really nice things about Facebook, the perils aren’t worth the trouble that can happen if your young child isn’t supervised.

The question is whether parents will take the Togetherville step before letting their kids loose online. And, we’ll find out soon enough whether the Togetherville model even proves to be “safe enough.” Let’s also hope that Togetherville doesn’t turn into Addictedville and shut out important real-life experiences for young kids.

For now, it seems to me like a great solution for parents whose kids who are chomping at the bit to get online. It may just provide a valuable head start in teaching kids early on netiquette and the importance of safety and privacy on a social networking site. There is no denying, these sites are here to stay and will only evolve and grow.

So please share, would you use Togetherville with your child?

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, Digital Books, Digital PR, FaceBook, Marketing to Moms, Media and Press, PR Industry, Parenting, Social Media, Social Networking, Togetherville, Video Games, Virtual Worlds by Admin - 3 Comments →