Clear Blogging and Unconferences

There are some great social media books out there right now that I wanted to let ya'll know about.

1. Clear Blogging
Bob Walsh contacted me a few months ago regarding community building and my blog. He is one of the moderator's for Joel of Software's business forum, of which I participated heavily in. Through that, he found me and asked that I do a guest post on his own blog. After that, I did a Q&A for his book - which can be found in the now published - Clear Blogging.

If you are looking at starting a blog and/or want to know some tricks and tips -to build your audience, this book is for you. A book no matter what stage in blogging you are at.

2. Unconference - The Book
Found this in David Crow's feed this morning (still catching up). It is a collaborative book that is build on those that have started and attended unconferences. Based on the great podcamp Toronto over the weekend - there are definitely a lot of you out there to contribute.

Try-To's : 2 Months later

I had a few try-to's for 2007. It isn't going well.

Two of the social media ones are:
1) to blog at least everyday on this blog
2) to blog a restaurant review on blogTO at least three times a week

I am doing really, really badly on my personal blog. I have my good days and my bad days. This week was a bad week, only blogging on Monday on my personal blog and twice on blogTO.

There is just too much going on...

ya, ya, ya...I am complaining and I really shouldn't be.

But there is really just too much going on! Between work, yoga, friends, eating out, eating in, reading books, blogging, marketing events, catching up on feeds, volunteering, keeping the house semi-clean, the raptors, golf preparation, new music, concerts, podcasts, SL events, shopping...and did I mention work...there is too few minutes in the day.

It really boggles my mind on how some people do it. How do you keep up? How are you doing with your try-to's?

Podcamp Toronto - crazy good

Podcamp Toronto took place this year at my alma mater - Ryerson University - over this past weekend.

Some 200+ registered attendees and 40+ presentations over 2 days...all for free! Thanks organizers of Podcamp Toronto!

I managed to attend 90% of day 1, and saw great case studies from Mark Blevis, Bob Goyetche, Sabita Singh, Hugh McGuire, Christopher Penn, Mitch Joel and John Wall...

I took away some great learning and some dirty ones too ;) ...can't wait to apply them (some I already did)...look out!

Wished I could have made it out to day 2 of Podcamp Toronto...but alas, a life without social media does exists...

PS. It was nice meeting so many of you in person (Bryper)...and catchin' up with those I have met through social media! (Andy - Wilco's Impossible Germany is amazing!!!)

Jeffree Star ...social media star

Great article on blogTO this morning on Jeffree Star.

Check out the quick excerpt from the piece:

"It turns out there are some big plusses to signing onto Myspace, particularly if you were one of the first people to do so. 20 year old Jeffree Star is the self-proclaimed Queen Bitch of Myspace. With 16 million profile views and an even higher number of song plays, Star may very well be the most popular face on Myspace next to ubiquitous Tom...

It's fucking cold outside, and Jeffree Star is running late. It's Friday, February 16th and he's headlining Pixelrox at Fly Nightclub, billed as Toronto's first Myspace party and the starting point for his invasion of Canada..."

Add him to the list of social media stars...the list is growing quickly.

HRW Film Festival

Some of you probably know that I volunteer for HRW Toronto Network - a group of young advocates here in the city who are committed to increasing awareness of human rights issues. My plug here is for the upcoming film festival next month. Our group is putting together ther closing night reception which is so far set to be a stellar event...check it out if you can...

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The Human Rights Watch Toronto Network presents

The Closing Night Reception of the Fourth Annual Human Rights Watch International Film Festival Co-presented with Cinematheque Ontario

Thursday, March 8, 2007 featuring JOHN & JANE Directed by ASHIM AHLUWALIA

John & Jane is an astonishing look at the souls of the outsourced. Shot on 35mm and composed with unsettling grace, this documentary finds an entirely original and fitting language to express the eerie dislocation of virtual work. The lives it depicts are real, but the film's approach gives those lives the scope of speculative fiction.

Human Rights Watch is pleased to host guest speakers:
Hannah Simone

Hannah is a MuchMusic VJ. Equally passionate about both world issues and pop culture, Hannah’s ready to offer a well-informed and well-spoken perspective on everything from global human rights to the latest music trends.

and

Raj Girn

Raj is the Publisher and Founder of Anokhi magazine, which uses media as a vehicle to celebrate humanity as a whole; to effect the emancipation of women and men, without gender, social, cultural, religious or political barriers.

Reception at 7.00 p.m.

Bau-Xi Gallery
340 Dundas Street West

Film Screening at 8.45p.m.
Art Gallery of Ontario
Jackman Hall (McCaul Entrance)
317 Dundas St. West

Tickets
$ 25 per person (includes film and reception)
Tickets are only sold online and there will be no refunds to purchase. Purchase tix here.

Please enter your e-mail address and password to receive confirmation of payment


For Information contact
hrwya@hotmail.com
Phone - 416-322-8448

Directions to Bau-Xi:

For information on the rest of the HRW Film festival http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca/
HRW Toronto webpage http://hrw.org/toronto/

Human Rights Watch is grateful for the support of the Samuel Group of Companies and Iceberg Vodka Bell is proud to be a Major Sponsor of Cinematheque Ontario. Cinematheque Ontario is generously supported by the Ontario Media Development Corporation and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Squidoo To You Too

So over the past few days, I have been reworking my Squidoo Lens - My Toronto Restaurant Reviews...and other food schtuff.

I am not sure what I should do with it. Somehow in my developmend of it, it turned into a way to keep track of my restaurant and food reviews in Tdot, but blogTO is doing that for me.

Then I reminded myself of Kate's post that made me do it in the first place...so thought I should rethink what I had already put in there - is it any good? what value does it have? Why would someone use this as a source for food stuff in the city? Does the content contained in my lens showcase me as an informative source for information on food in Toronto?

There has been a lot of negativity around the product, but I think Seth has something here. Not sure what it is yet, because I don't think my lens is strong enough to tell me.

So far, every week I get a handful of people who find my blog via my lens. I have also been emailing someone in the city who is developing a food-based site and wanted some of my input (that was neat!). But it is not quite there yet...

let me know your thoughts? what do you think? does this give you some good info on food sources in the city? what is missing

Vince Carter no mo'

Quitter
Originally uploaded by reemer.

It must be hell to be Vince Carter's publicist. Really.

1. He is self-absorbed
2. A cry baby...fans have no love for the guy

3. Rude attitude - to colleagues

Feeling the love online

Happy Valentine's Day!
Originally uploaded by vasta.

This is the product of social media. Yes, the heart. All those names in there are Vasta's friends...

I know Vasta through flickr, blogging, usability camp, in person (of course)...and just a few weeks ago, some ol' skool mail. Loves it!

Who says social media is for losers with no friends who play on their computers all day. Happy anti-valentine's day to you! Happy Valentine's day to the rest of you.

MUAH!

Because I'm so clever...But clever ain't wise

pete doherty
Originally uploaded by doctor447.

Thanks to Mark & Jeff, I cannot get enough of Babyshambles.

Pete Doherty - love him - no matter what you are doing behind the scenes. Down in Albion gets more brilliant everyday. Loves it.

So, what does this have to do with marketing?

1. Albeit Doherty is in the news almost every day, the music is not. It is rarely touted on the charts and I don't hear many outside my circle who have heard it. Andy have you? ...but that is changing.
2. Word of Mouth = Let me borrow that disc

3. WOM + Borrow = purchase disc for me and someone else as prezzie
4. Good sales in Toronto = babyshambles tour in Toronto

Mixing Pipes

6x6
Originally uploaded by ginandtonique.

I am the first to admit that I am not a big fan of yahoo. I opted for the hotmail email account, use google for search...so never really have much need for it.

When flickr was developed, I finally set up an account. I occassionaly use the email account just to check email templates...but that about sums up my connection with them.

I got a notice about pipes (still in beta) - yahoo's new interactive RSS feed aggregator. Basically, you can manipulate your feeds so that you can create data mashups - FUN!

I am hoping to play with this more...but take a look at this example that mixes iTunes and youtube...palate definitely wet.

PS. Let me know what you come up with.

Part Deux: Unilever Comes Clean

quartet
Originally uploaded by Patrick Q.

My post on Unilever coming clean seemed to get a lot of hits in the past week (yes, I use Google Analytics)...so thought I should come out with a part deux.

David Jones wrote a great post on it and he linked to some other great posts. I believe what he is saying - transparency is key.

Erin Pooley from Canadian Business wrote a nice after effects piece stating:

Did it work? Not likely. Making the link between video viewership and shampoo sales will likely prove much more difficult for Unilever, as is the case with most "new media" ads. (There was absolutely no mention of the shampoo or even the company during the spot.)

She goes on to quote David Dunne, a marketing professor at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto that it is up to marketers to think of the consequences of its campaigns.

The consequences here? Maybe nothing...not even a call to action? What will happen when their commercials for sunsilk actually is released? Their next viral campaign...everyone is watching.

From bad to worse

Washing Machine Redux
Originally uploaded by bluelineswinger.

Mark and I are in a building with 23 units, sharing 2 washing machines and 2 dryers.

A few weeks ago, a dryer on one machine was broken and the washer on the other was broken....Mark and I went shopping instead of waiting in line to use the machines.

A few weeks later...a Maytag repair person came in..."fixed it" and left. A few days later. The washer was broken...again.

After careful research on the internet (by very savvy neighbours), it was found out that the model (neptune) was called back...a class action law suit was filed against Maytag for this particular machine and they needed to replace the part...for free.

So why didn't the repair person know this? Why didn't we get a notice of the possible malfunction since the class action law suit was completed back in 2005?

The note on the machine, dated Jan 30th says that they would repair in within the week - longest 9 days (business days I am going to assume).

The saga continues.

PS. Getting some laundry done as I type this...thank goodness.

Kick it

Cripy Crunch~
Originally uploaded by thisbryanguy.

I joined Sneakerplay a few months ago. It is a community that is fixed on...you guessed it - sneakers...

There is about 38K+ photo's in the gallery, over 5,700 members (87 which are from Toronto), contests, forums...and just added recently - a blog function.

I really, really like the idea of the blog function....why? Because it is the next logical evolution from the forum.

1. It keeps the conversation flowing and mixing among various topics.
2. They kept RSS only to the blog and not the forum (not sure why, but I can see that it would allow someone to monitor the new topics...it would be up to them to save topics that they are interested in and/or comment on)
3. Blog topics are fed into the forum...for future search.
4. Forum is great to see past topics...a blog is great to see waht people are talking about NOW! and/or new topics.
5. You can trackback blog posts but not forum posts.
6. Forums are typically moderated...blogs not.

I think sneakerplay's blog needs more focus...and objective (yes, I know - shoes!...but things can easily sway elsewhere)...it will be interesting to see how this community embraces it or goes back ot using the forum.

Members Only

top of town
Originally uploaded by K-Camp.

For years it seemed like only the uber-riche belonged to a private social club.

Toronto has its long time super-snobby stuck-up National Club on Bay St., the Faculty Club at U of T., the Ontario Club...

In the past few years and even recently...a whole bunch of new social clubs have risen to attract the young and wealthy in the city. There is the Spoke Club, which until recently now has a waiting list to become a member, Verity, the professional all-women's club and new comers - Dominion and Vogue.

What does this say about our city? What is the effect of 'social clubs'?

My thoughts...the exact opposite of what the meaning of 'social club' is. I believe that restricting who is allowed to join, membership prices and dues and even the sex does build the community of the lcub but hinders it.

Of course, they have "bring-a-friend", "refer-a-friend" and public nights...but it still isn't the same. That would be even worse to me...like dangling a very expensive carrot one wants to achieve...and maybe for the wrong reasons (wanting to become "just like them").

In the age of social media - private clubs, doors are broken down. That is the beauty of it. We are allowed to play together (sometimes with rules), albeit we are still playing together. That is one of the big reasons why social media continues to bloom - web 2.0 is now mainstream and the world in the computer may seem a lot more friendlier than the world outside.

The local music store

Penguin Music Store!
Originally uploaded by habibmi.

On the weekend, my music pals and I headed into Penguin Music on McCaul. We had a good hour prior to the start of our movie so thought we should check out Pages and some music.

If you have been to Penguin before, chances are you are familiar with Kim.

If not, and are headed there in the next week or so, you are in for a treat.

What makes them soooooo special?

1. They know they schtuff...really. You hold up a CD cover and they will tell you what it is like.
2. If they really know you, they will give you a tonne of recommendations...and more often than not, they are dead on (which makes you spend tonnes of dough).
3. Details...against the wall, they have listed their own recommendations and/or tidbits about new and favourite albums. They are great conversation starters as well as encouragements to make that next step...listen to the album.
4. They beat any customer service rep at HMV or other like chain music store.
5. They carry a lot of local, edgy, real indie - type music...it would take weeks to get from amazon and/or HMV to ship in...
6. a good selection of used CD's (picked up Jose Gonzales for $10.99).
7. concert tix without the fees of ticketmaster.

Elect Yourself!

I love the power of consumer-generated content. Thanks for leading this David!

Unilever comes clean

I remember hearing about the “Bride has Massive Hair Wig Out”, from Mark...of all people. He didn't know if it was real or not.

Yesterday, the Globe wrote an article that Unilever, had come clean. They were behind the highly-viewed video on youtube.

What does this all mean in the grand scheme of consumer-generated content? RISKY...and it was a good thing they came out with the truth early...or did they?

Why? Transparency is key in this age. Consumers shouldn't be 'tricked'. I am surprised they held out telling the truth for this long.

With just a few more clicks of my mouse, I decided to look to see if the Sunsilk website had any connection or link to this video - they do not. That is too, too bad really. I think a link or explanation would help with dealing with any backlash (mention of phase 2?)...how about getting users to generate their own videos to be used as a continuous product campaign instead of the commericals?...makes me think that this really wasn't all planned as they say it was so.