January 2012
2 posts
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Infographic: Social media and college admissions
Interesting stats here. Not overly surprising - social media has really become the domain of PR/marketing types rather than college recruiters. Still, you’d think that by now the usage would be higher.
Also, although the chances of a recruiter discovering your incriminating photos are, apparently, low, I’d still advise against posting them…
Created By Coggno.com
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Raunchy comedy stirs controversy at Western – -... →
A number of difficult questions raised here. I think the students could have (and probably should have) avoided a number of issues by simply being more imaginative and inventing a fictitious school, rather than using Western. Still, I’m curious to see both how the series will go over with students (at Western especially) and how the university will handle any potential copyright...
December 2011
3 posts
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I Heart Hamilton Tour: MARGARET ATWOOD - November... →
I really like Margaret Atwood’s work, and am sorry I missed this. At least the ladies from ihearthamilton were able to enjoy!
ihearthamilton:
Margaret Atwood Hamilton Central Library 55 York Boulevard It’s not every day you get to be in the presence of a literary icon. As an English major graduate and having a lifelong love of literature in general, I was beyond thrilled to get the...
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Retweets aren’t endorsements; editors shouldn’t... →
I tend to agree with this post, which argues that retweets by reporters are not, in fact, endorsements of the content retweeted. I see the concern on the part of The Oregonian, but it’s important to allow reporters to continue to use Twitter to its fullest extent.
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Shazam Gives Out Recipes By Recognizing Pillsbury... →
This is a really great idea for a number of reasons: harnessing relatively common technology, using things already found in a commercial (sounds), giving customers free, extra content (recipes). It also shows that Pillsbury has a strategy behind its social efforts, which is not common enough.
Pillsbury has incorporated Shazam into its new TV campaign aimed at tech-savvy moms. The commercials...
November 2011
3 posts
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“I’m no longer just responsible for myself now when I go out—I’m also responsible...”
– Uh, it seems to me that’s the whole point of the app.
School uses app to keep freshmen out of parties – - Macleans OnCampus
October 2011
3 posts
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BlackBerry bust? Five questions for Nick Bontis
Below is a Q and A I did today with McMaster University’s Nick Bontis. Of interest, I’m sure, to a good number of communicators out there scrambling without their BlackBerrys.
Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM, maker of BlackBerry smartphones and the Playbook tablet computer, has faced a number of challenges lately. Cutthroat competition from rival companies such as Apple, Microsoft and...
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Drunk on Facebook? That could be a problem |... →
This research points to a somewhat obvious conclusions, but it may help university administrators help students who need it most - although, as the article points out, there could be ethical and privacy concerns around checking out students’ Facebook profiles (though these ones were public).
What this research should also underscore is that potential employers have easy access to...
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Marines issue comprehensive social media handbook →
I haven’t read the handbook yet, but what does it mean when even the United States Marines have guidelines for using social media? The Marines have to worry about issues that almost no one else in the world has to. This shows that social tools can be used effectively even when there are many possible pitfalls.
September 2011
4 posts
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Modano announces retirement via Facebook - NHL.com... →
Not completely unique, but interesting nonetheless. There was a time not so long ago when sports fans would only hear about their favourite players retiring through the mainstream media. Today, they can hear about it directly from the player, in this case before he has even held a formal news conference.
This example nicely illustrates the divide between traditional and new media, and what I...
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NHL institutes new social media policy
The National Hockey League issued a social media policy Wednesday night for its players and club personnel. The policy, the NHL Social Media Policy for League and Club Personnel, governs both players and hockey operations staff and is designed to promote the value of social media as a tool for communication with fans. It also highlights issues surrounding social media, as well as limits the use...
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Compared with my blue-collar father, I don’t do...
It was late last year when I truly realized the difference between the kind of work I do and the work my father does.
Dad was late for a family dinner, and when he finally arrived, he looked somewhat shaken. After making small talk with relatives, he sat down beside me and quietly, so as not to alarm anyone else, explained how he had narrowly avoided serious injury at the factory that day. He...
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August 2011
4 posts
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Who will replace Dimitri Soudas as Stephen... →
While I don’t think “megaphone” is truly the right word here, the job of director of communications for the prime minister would be an interesting one, even if it is considered a “burnout” job. It will also be interesting to see if, as Jane Taber writes, the PMO will hire someone less partisan for the position.
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35% of Tablet Owners Use Them in the Bathroom... →
Only 35%?
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Cops cover the Twitter beat →
This is an interesting story and shows that the Hamilton Police Services understand some of the major changes in communications that have occurred over the last few years. I wonder what sorts of policies surround the use of social media accounts by police officers? Potential problems abound - for instance, although common sense dictates that one would not tweet an individual police officier for...
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Pentagon Seeks a Few Good Social Networkers -... →
Interesting idea, though I wonder how long people will consider “social networking” to be something different than just “networking”, with a need for “experts” to do it. We don’t hire expert phone users or email-ers. Perhaps online social networking is different though?
July 2011
6 posts
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The Web & Business Tools Startups Use Most... →
This is a great graphic. Also, I love constantly being reminded of how awesome Evernote and Google Docs are.
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U.S. Army may soon equip troops with smartphones -... →
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Study: How People Are Engaging Journalists on... →
This is really great. Biggest surprise? The times at which feedback spikes. See the full post on Facebook.
To enable journalists to better utilize Facebook in their distribution, reporting and storytelling, we conducted a study looking at how people were engaging with Journalist Pages on Facebook. We hope that the findings, which focus on post dynamics, engagement and activity, will provide...
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Ford gets in the front seat of Google+ →
Great look at how Ford is experimenting with G+. Can’t wait to see what brand presence will look like when Google launches it.
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June 2011
1 post
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13 PLACES GOOGLE DOESN'T WANT YOU TO SEE →
Via truTV.com
May 2011
2 posts
Obama Campaign Starts Selling “Made in the USA”... →
In my opinion, not a good idea…you’ve already proved that you were born in the US - why continue to fight this battle? Why not concentrate on, oh I don’t know, get your country’s finances in order?
The Obama 2012 campaign has started selling “Made in the USA” T-shirts and coffee mugs on its website, featuring the slogan that is typically printed on goods produced in the...
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White House ends photo re-enactments for press →
An interesting debate. I see both sides: the media need access for accurate photographs, but the president needs to be able to make televised addresses in peace. Thoughts? I think the media probably need to be a little more understanding in taking White House handouts in these circumstances.
The White House said it is ending its long-running practice of having presidents re-enact televised...
April 2011
1 post
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For teachers on Facebook, professionalism trumps... →
I’m not a teacher, but I find this very interesting. I also find it incredible that some people (teachers no less!) can lack such vast amounts of common sense. Everyone, including those teaching our youth, has to be careful using all forms of social media. Some instruction, however, would be useful, as is pointed out in the quote below:
“What we’re not doing in teacher education...
March 2011
3 posts
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Career advice for soon-to-be public relations and... →
My latest, on Talent Egg.ca:
If you’re about to graduate and are looking for work in public relations or communications, I can tell you that the next few years are going to be very exciting.
You’re about to enter the workforce, probably for the first time, and you’re finally going to be able to put some of that classroom knowledge to use.
You’re also going to be faced with some unique...
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Mobile users: Who are they, how many are there,...
The infographic below comes from The Growth of Mobile Marketing and Tagging. While the idea here is to show that the use of mobile devices and smartphones is increasing, I was surprised at a few things: Only a little more than a quarter of the world’s cell phones are smartphones? The number one purpose for using a cell phone is to play games? Only 33% of Facebook users use Facebook mobile?...
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Facebook fueling divorce rate? →
Although the headline here is completely misleading (in that the story doesn’t say Facebook has caused more divorces, but simply provided more evidence for divorce lawyers), the stats are interesting. It’s also more proof that people give absolutely no thought to what they’re posting online or who may see it.
Lesson? Think before you post.
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What North Africa can teach us about Facebook
A lot of credit is being given to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter for the role they are playing in the uprisings spreading across the Middle East. Long oppressed citizens have flocked to such sites in an effort to organize and promote pro-democracy rallies and protests while bringing the world’s attention to their plight.
The tactic has quite clearly worked: Zine El...
February 2011
5 posts
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The writing process
Not only is this a really interesting (if brief) look into the creative writing process for a television show, it’s also really funny.
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The State of the Web →
Just take a look at this - it’s hilarious. And mostly accurate!
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The Economics of Blogging and The Huffington Post →
Great article from FIveThirtyEight. The only thing I might take issue with is the the usage of article comments as an indicator of pageviews. While in this case there is an obvious trend toward there being more comments on articles with more pageviews, I think it would be incorrect to assume that this is the case for all sites and blogs. Some articles simply elicit more discussion. Some sites do a...
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Facebook Launches Pages Redesign →
This looks pretty cool. Can’t wait to check it out. In fact I think I’ll do that right now…
Facebook has begun rolling out a full redesign of Facebook Pages. The changes will make the Pages look and operate more like user profiles.
The new Pages redesign was first seen in December, when Facebookaccidentally launched it and quickly took it down. The update not only removed...
January 2011
3 posts
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Make War, Not Love
Phil Taylor’s articles in Sports Illustrated are always great, but this one should strike a chord for those in public relations. It holds some valuable lessons for communicators (as well as anyone who doesn’t want to come across as out of touch with their audience).
If you’re not going to read it, the point is this: Know your audience, and remember that the people who support...
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“Write your first draft with your heart. Re-write with your head.”
– From the movie Finding Forrester (via foggybythebay)
(Maybe more for the creative writer, but it still works.)
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Silence enables corruption in Canada
Caught this in the Toronto Sun. Pretty succinct and well-put. I would suggest reading the entire article.
There is a sickness in the land. We have ceded too much control over our country to self-serving politicians and cultural narcissists.
We worry too much what people say and write and too little about what people in power actually do.
Let’s review.
Read Silence enables corruption in...
December 2010
6 posts
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Flash Projection: BMW Burns Logo onto...
Via geekfill:
BMW used an interesting technique to have a lasting image on the audiences in a German movie theater. A giant Profoto Pro-7B was hidden behind the screen, a studio flash unit that pumps out enough light to flash the BMW logo for a moment. While the cinematic ad was playing they illuminated the harmless photo flash into the audiences eyes and with persuasion through the advert...
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Facebook blackout forces students to "actually...
Quite the story about Harrisburg University of Science and Technology’s week-long blackout of social networking sites on campus. While there are some concerns about the validity of the so-called experiment, some of the results are pretty interesting.
Apparently, students found that being forced to unplug:
made their lectures more interesting
gave them more time to do homework
allowed...
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When TV ads are tailored to viewers, what ads will...
Some interesting news in my hometown today. Cogeco Cable is partnering with Invidi Technologies and CHCH Television for a trial of “addressable advertising”.
From Marketingmag.ca:
Using Invidi’s Advatar system, Cogeco will be able to deliver “tailored messaging” to individual households within the CHCH footprint. So while, for example, residents of an upscale...
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Black Eyed Peas completely rip off Blur?
Hmmm…The Black Eyed Peas’ new album cover sure looks like Blur’s “best of” album cover. I know pop music can be cyclical, but come on! Are there no new ideas out there?
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Track Santa in Real-Time With Google Maps This... →
From Mashable:
Christmas Eve might not be for another 23 days or so, but Google and NORAD already have the online Santa Tracker ready to go.
NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has been tracking Santa and his sleigh since 1955. Since 2007, Google has partnered with the organization to make sure that Santa and his reindeer can be tracked in real-time using Google Maps.
...
November 2010
3 posts
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WatchThe battle between mainstream journalists and bloggers is an interesting one. It becomes even more intriguing when you add sports fandom to the mix.
In my opinion, bloggers writing stories based on fact should be entitled to the same level of respect we give traditional journalists. Poor journalism is poor journalism, whether its performed by a blogger or a reporter for the New York Times.
...
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Could Facebook replace your e-mail inbox? →
Mashable’s Pete Cashmore on Facebook’s next announcement. Is everyone getting an @facebook.com email address?
Via CNN.
October 2010
3 posts
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Wave hello to CrowdWave. And then please(!)...
Have you heard about this? If this isn’t a disaster waiting to happen for Canadian NHL franchises, I don’t know what is.
CrowdWave’s unique in-game system and Vision Interactive technology analyzes the direction, intensity and timing of a crowd’s movement as a whole or section by section. Fans will be able to control games or answer poll questions displayed on the...