360DigitalInfluence

Social media continues to evolve, shaping not just our thoughts on connectivity and information consumption online, but how it applies to our everyday lives.

This is not breaking news. Still, there are many people, brands and companies that are still dipping their toes in the social media pool, trying to gauge the value of social media platforms and leveraging these sites to connect with their key audiences. As a digital strategist with a traditional public relations background, I can see the value in both online and offline media, but note the increased convergence between the two mediums. Yet many companies still grapple with social media and are tasked with demonstrating “the value” more than ever. What if these same organizations knew that mainstream media reporters were conducting a good deal of their research on social media websites, such as blogs, Twitter or Wikipedia?

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This week, Facebook Friday will look at six of Facebook’s top news stories and how they affect brands. As a bonus- a link to a bit of Facebook psychology.

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National Wear Red Day at Ogilvy PR

If you haven’t realized it by now - RED is one of our favorite colors here at Ogilvy. Not only does it represent our brand and our company mentality, but it also stands for a cause close to our hearts (no pun intended).

Heart disease is the #1 Killer of Women - It is the goal of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Heart Truth campaign and Ogilvy to build awareness and provide resources for individuals, especially women who are less aware of their top health risk, to help reduce their risk of heart disease. (disclosure:  The Heart Truth® is an Ogilvy PR client).

While this is a year long issue, we make it a point to call out the importance of heart disease awareness every February, during American Heart Month (think of it as the friendly reminder you need to keep your healthy habits going after the hype of New Year’s resolutions dies down…), starting with National Wear Red Day®.

So for Friday, February 5th (yes, that’s tomorrow) we have a call out to the digital nation - show up in  red tomorrow & show your support of heart disease awareness. continue reading

2009, defined by the deep recession, forced consumer brands to do more with much less.  However, this stressful environment drove  marketers to try non-traditional and less expensive channels, fostering the development of some unique engagement programs in social media.  In this series of posts, I’ll revisit a few of the more interesting campaigns from the past year and explain how these programs can guide our 2010 engagement strategies.

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Facebook has undoubtedly become one of the most influential social media platforms a brand can leverage. It can be a powerful tool when used effectively and with corporations, non-profits, celebrities joining in on the fun, it is paramount that you find a way to stand out and be noticed. Setting up a Facebook page is a given, what matters now is your commitment to the value-exchange between you and your target audience. Taking the time to figure out how you can raise the bar and deliver a unique experience will set you apart from the rest. This post will tell you how to do it… continue reading

I have been participating in WeMedia events for years. I think the world of Andrew and Dale who started pulling this together when they were with the American Press Institute a few years back. WeMedia is an eclectic mix of leaders from new and traditional media and technology and marketing and…. That’s the point. It’s not another echo chamber event.

You should consider attending - especially as I have a neat code that gets you in at “friends of Ogilvy” pricing: WM-OGV.

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If I’m reading the signs correctly Facebook is preparing an major applications push, trying to make them more attractive to developers with monetization and promotion: will it work?

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Over the last year, location-based social networks such as Foursquare, Gowalla and Brightkite have exploded among early adopters. It’s no question—with increasing adoption of smart phone usage, location-based social networks are rising in popularity every day.

Recently covered in GigaOM, CNN, Ad Age and The New York Times, Foursquare is currently one of the most buzzed about location-based mobile social networks. Intel and Ogilvy recently used Foursquare to drive traffic to and create buzz around Intel’s offline events and activities at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month.

For CES, Intel created a branded Foursquare page, featuring locations where Intel had activity and tips for Las Vegas visitors. Intel also rewarded check-in’s to key events with branded badges, paired with the chance to win an Intel-powered netbook for all badge recipients.

This exclusive collaboration allowed Intel to track and build relationships with online influencers active on Foursquare at CES. With more than 400 cumulative check-in’s to Intel-affiliated locations and events, the collaboration was a breakout success and proved to be an interesting event-based model for brands looking to work with Foursquare.

We interviewed Tristan Walker, head of business development at Foursquare, to learn more about their vision for what’s to come for brands, businesses and Foursquare.

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In his famous visit to the Galapagos Islands, Charles Darwin developed a theory suggesting a link between the environment and evolution. He cataloged the incredible biodiversity of plant and animal life and the unique evolutionary quirks that allows these creatures to thrive.

B2B Marketers are sometimes considered to be behind the evolutionary curve of most digital trends when compared to their B2C brethren.  But like Darwin’s turtles in the Galapagos, the B2B Marcom species is evolving in this space because the social web environment happens to be extraordinarily well suited for their needs as they work to build trust, generate and convert leads, and provide a mechanism for sustained engagement.

Here’s how… continue reading