As a general rule, I don't like to pass judgement on the performance of people in the media industry.

How on earth can I?

I have no idea what pressures other people are under or what their mandates involve.

Additionally, there is always more to every story than what is captured in writing (and made public) - directly or indirectly.

So, when journalists / bloggers call out the actions of PR people I get incredibly worked up.

In no way, shape or form am I defending PRs unconditiionally - in fact, the behaviour that gets highlighted is usually very disturbing - and, it paints the industry in a very poor light.

But (and you know there is a 'but' coming), calling out PRs doesn't achieve anything.

All it does is make the good majority nervous as hell the next time they try and engage with a journalist.

I have no idea why these squabbles can't be handled privately...no matter how poorly the approach has been executed.

Frustratingly, there is no single solution.

PRs need journalists. 

Journalists need PRs.

And both camps are human.

Instead of exacerbating the problem (which is all a public call out actually achieves), I can only urge both camps to think about the jobs each one is asked to perform - our goals might be very different but we're both playing the same sport.

Play nicely, or don't play at all...and think about the example you are setting to the people who aspire to be in your position one day.

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A large chunk of the marketing community has spent this week talking about PhD's 'We are the future' video - a two minute film featuring teenagers talking about how they'll be marketed to in the future.

While a lot of talk has been about the content of the video (and the rationale behind it), it is something else that has stood out for me - industry cynicism is at an all-time high.

Perhaps the level of cynicism has always been high, but the ability to voice your opinions and be heard is like nothing we've ever experienced before.

This is fundamentally changing the way agencies approach their own marketing...or at least it should.

Proof points and priorities

More than ever before, proof is the single most valuable currency in the marketing industry.

But, in order to have the proof, you need the opportunity, and creating new opportunities is a challenge for even the brightest brains in the game.

So what do you do then?

Do you attempt to depict your thought-leadership via an insights video a la PhD?

My boss and best mate John Rivett is one of the most experienced consumer brand consultants going around, but keeps a low profile because his priority is for his clients to be known, not himself.

His credo is: Do great client work, make them happy and if they want to be your advocates, so be it.

He's absolutely right, too.

Proving a point?

Proof is never gimmicky, it is earned.

Proof is often not fit for public consumption (live with it).

Proof is best proved when you're not going out of your way to prove it.

What do you think?

Is proof the most valuable currency in marketing?

Adam

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PR Week here in the UK have just published 29 under 29 - PR's brightest young stars under the age of 29.

The final list was decided upon by some well-respected PR pros who are well placed to make such judgements.

It got me thinking, could we do something similar for the young guns who rock Twitter out on a daily basis?

I don't see why not, so here's what I'm proposing...

1. Have a think about someone who you like following / interacting with on Twitter
2. Check that they are aged 29 and under on 21 October 2010
3. Nominate them via the comments section below, stating why you think they should be on the list

(Be sure to include their Twitter handle with your nomination)

Then, providing there is some interest, we'll collate all the nominations and publish the list as voted for by you.

Sounds simple enough eh?

Let's keep nominations open until this time next week (Noon, 28 October, 2010).

Get to it!!

Adam

Notes:

1. Nominate as many people as you like - just be sure to add in a reason as to why you are nominating that person.

2. The full feature will appear on my blog, COMMScorner.com, on Monday 1 November 2010

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Organising my 2010 Twitter favourites...

5 best practice tips for writing pitch emails to bloggers via Arik Hanson

8 blogger outreach no-no's to avoid at all costs via Arik Hanson

5 steps for building a better blogger outreach list via Arik Hanson

How to identify your brands VIPs by Amy Jo Martin

11 steps to building a blogger outreach list via Arik Hanson

4 common blogger outreach mistakes via Arik Hanson

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Organising my 2010 Twitter favourites...

11 great social media marketing ideas we can all steal from via the drum

How premier league football clubs are using social media via reputation online

10 hot social media case studies via socialmedia.org

30 social media business case studies via Penn Olsen

The best ever social media campaigns according to Forbes.com

How the Dog's Trust is using digital media to support re-homing efforts

Social media as an instrument of change via Simon Mainwaring

Bing maps used to follow the 2010 Tour de France

British Basketball's use of social media

Chicago pizza creates the Domino effect via SM Examiner

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This time next week I expect to be nursing a pretty decent hangover...for a good reason.

Next Thursday, 30 September 2010, Social Collective is taking place.

Billed as a 'forward thinking social media conference', Social Collective will take a look into what we can expect in 2011.

The speaking line-up is really strong and excitingly will include CNN exclusively revealing a major global social media research study.

Now, there is possibly one downside to this event - I'm the compere - but my appearances will be brief.

As part of my preparation I've spent a bit of time on Steve Walls' website (http://www.no1compere.co.uk/) as he looks like he knows what he's doing.

Not just a conference...

That hangover I was referring too will not be a result of the conference itself (well, it might, depending on if I bomb or not!), but rather the after party.

It should be a real good 'un.

If you are interested in attending the conference or the after party (or both), check out the EventBrite tickets page.

See you there??

Adam

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So right now you are probably taking part in #ChineseTwhipers (I know I did).

About 15 minutes ago I saw @Zee and @WhatleyDude post: Sometimes, I want to copy someone else's status word for word just to see if they would notice.

I, of course did the same.

The back story (as far as I can tell)

It all started on Facebook - at least 10 hours ago.

The oldest Twitter version I could find is the one below (notice the slight alteration).

Ahhhh, Twitter makes me giggle yet again :)

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Yesterday, the word 'Tweetup' was accepted into the Oxford Dictionary of English.

For the record, I can live with that, but I do have my limits.

Here are 10 Twitter 'words' I hope never (ever, ever, ever!) end up in a real dictionary.

1. Twittonary aka a Twitter Dictionary (come on, no way!!)
2. Twabstinence - reducing the time you spend on Twitter (as delivered most famously by Elmer Fudd)
3. Tweetard - not even going to explain this one, society is in trouble if this becomes mainstream
4. Twintern - an intern found on Twitter...how good is that for your confidence?
5. Twirting - flirting via Twitter (apparently)...sounds like a dance move to me...or an unfortunate body odour release...
6. Twittergasm - when your tweets come out in spurts (I didn't make this up!!). One word. WRONG.
7. Twonversation - yeah, yeah, a Twitter conversation but it just isn't clever...sorry to its creator...
8. Twypo -  Twtteir tyepo / speeling mist8ke...enough said
9. Pwrty - I had to look at this a few times - a social gathering involving your Tweeps <insert party sounds>
10. Ztwitt - Now this is supposed to be mean 'tweet very quickly'. WTF??

If you have any others you think belong on the 'over my dead body' list, I'd love to know.

Adam

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So, Twitter has teamed up with Tweetmeme to launch a new 'tweet' button...one could be forgiven that it has saved the world from a nuclear threat...it hasn't, but it has showed us that buttons rule...electronic or not...

Social Collective Guest Post: 

The top 13½ buttons of all time

Adam

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Later this week, I will begin helping a popular PR news service provide a daily round up of the latest and best comms-related news from the UK / Europe.

More information on this development will follow in the next few days, but if you'd like your content to be considered for this daily round up, I just need you to drop your blog details into the comments box below (preferably your RSS feed).

I'll take the feed URL and add it to the aggregator I have started to create (see here: http://individurls.com/myfeeds/theCOMMScorner/).

This aggregator will be open to everyone and will be a nice way of seeing what is being said by the UK / EU comms community at a glance and in real time.

Thanks in advance!

Adam

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Blogger has been ramping up the improvements to its platform over the last few months in what appears to be a pretty obvious attempt to wrestle the crown from the paws of Wordpress.

Me? I'm a Blogger guy, and am LOVING all the new features and tricks.

So, I am going to keep a live link list to all the Blogger v Wordpress developments I come across and post them here for a little while...feel free to join in...

Blogger v Wordpress.com - 2010 Comparison Chart

More to follow...

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I was very fortunate to be approached by Daniel McLaren (@DanielMclaren) recently to take part in the Social Media & Sport Summit in London on 15 July 2010.

After having worked with the Australia Cricket Team for a number of years I jumped at the chance to get involved.

Instead of looking back on my time in cricket, I'll be looking at the brand that is arguably the biggest and best social media operator on the planet: The NBA.

I'm not one for stats normally, but these numbers are hard to ignore:

- More than 17 million fans on Facebook (league, teams, players and partners)

- Number one sports league in the world on Twitter (2 million followers)

- More YouTube subscribers than any other sport / brand in the world

Of course, if the NBA isn't your thing, there are some amazing people taking part at the summit looking at various other subjects, including:

Liverpool FC, Lotus Racing, Marzell Consulting, Spearfish Labs, DM Media Consulting, Field Fisher Waterhouse, We Win Games and  #TruEvents.

If you can arrange to get along I really encourage you to check it out.

For more information, visit: http://smsslondon.eventbrite.com/

Cheers

Adam

Note: I'll publish my presentation at theCOMMScorner.com post event which will give you a flavour for the stuff covered.

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The headlines...

On Wednesday the 30th of June I will have chalked up a....ummm...ermm...milestone?!?!

Yep, that is the day I reach the halfway point in the 'newspaper-less' experiment.

That is six months or 182 days or 4,380 hours since I read a physical newspaper.

Now, I need your help...

Question time...

I'd like to provide a review / update about the first six months of my 'newspaper-less' existence on the 30th of June.

But, I want it this to be based on YOUR questions.

Do you have any?

If you do, please submit them via:

- Comments blox (below)

- Twitter (@AdamVincenzini)

- Email 

Thanks!

Adam

Background...

If you'd like to find out more about the experiment and why I'm doing this, simply click here.

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We're seeing this more and more - integrating chat within an 'owned' platform and combining poplar social networks.

This will happen more and more...but as always, the NBA does it to a level beyond most other brands / organisations.

Keep your eyes on it...

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Every week I pull together a list of posts from the previous seven days which I think have some (mostly) timeless value.

The reason I do it is to file all the great stuff that is shared around in the one place (almost creating a mini social media library).

Here is this week's selection...

1. The latest facebook user demographics from around the world #stats

2. Top 50 social media / online startups worth watching #trends

3. Protect your username across hundreds of social media sites with claim.io #HowTo #tools

4. 20 cool uses of foursquare (slide show) #foursquare #casestudies

5. The ultimate directory of social media (brand) monitoring tools #monitoring

6. 27 awesome social media stats, slides and soundbites #stats

7. Professional strength social media aggregators: How to build your own... #HowTo

8. Ford's rules of engagement with online influencers / bloggers #engagement

9.How to develop a social media strategy: A roadmap for integration #strategy

10. Social media influencer outreach in 10 easy steps #outreach

Bonus links / posts

The ultimate list of posts featuring tips on dealing with negativity online

195 social media measurement tools and technologies

How to use social media for crisis management

NOTE: I'll be compiling the top 40 posts from Q2, 2010 before the month is out - if you have any suggestions, flick 'em my way.

Thanks!!

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Awwww...my little blog turned 8 months old today (so proud!!).

To celebrate, here are the 8 most popular posts from the first 8 months...

1. The 99 most useful social media and PR posts of 2009

2. 10 free social media tools every PR pro should master

3. 10 foursquare secrets worth making public

4. 40 of the most useful social media and PR posts of Q1, 2010

5. 5 online tools making social media simpler in 2010

6. 5 Twitter apps every marketer should test drive in 2010

7. 50 ways to get your news fix without opening a newspaper

8. The complete Twitter 'follow / unfollow' toolkit

On a more personal note, the following posts are the ones I'm most proud of:

The anatomy of a Twitter conversation

The launch of the 2010 'newspaper-less' experiment

The most important person in social media doesn't exist...yet

A different way to land your social media dream job

An interview with Deirdre Breakenridge: Reinventing PR's relationship with itself

Thanks for letting me indulge in that :)

Regular stuff churned out as always at the COMMS corner

Adam

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Stainless steel bands around the outside of iPhone 4 are part of its structure and integrated antennas!

Apple worked on the iPhone 4 as a means to try and improve the reception of the phone.

24% thinner than previous model

Front facing camera confirmed

More than 100 new features

326 pixels per inch

iPhone 4 has a screen with higher DPI than a professional photo lab printer.

Flash for camera fitted for first time

Battery is bigger.

6 hours 3G browsing, 10 hours Wi-Fi browsing.

10 hours video.

40 hours music.

300 hours standby

5 megapixel camera, LED flash

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It's been a little harder than normal of late to keep up with all the good content being shared on Twitter, but thank to the wonderful 'favourites' button, I've managed to stock pile a few goodies.

Here is this week's edition...

Social media strategy from A-Z (a great collection of thoughts from @Tamar)

Handy: 21 location-based apps case studies used by brands #foursquare #gowalla 

4sqsearch.com - an alternative foursquare venue search engine #foursquare

Cool examples of 'meet the team' pages for business websites #profiling

6 ways to constantly produce quality blog content #blogging

10 free social media monitoring tools #listening

10 unique Twitter tools you may not be using #tools

6 ideas to build social media momentum #tips

A social plan for authors / books #strategy

5 ways to maintain authenticity in social media #tips

Bonus links:

I didn't do a recap last week (too much client work on...weep), so here are a few extra links from the last couple weeks of May:

10 powerful video marketing tips #video #content

The fastest way to increase your google ranking #SEO

How to follow the 2010 FIFA World Cup #sources

4 ways to beat the social media time clock #productivity

10 foursquare 'secrets' worth making public #foursquare

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Without a doubt, one of my favourite blogs (and easily the most useful) is http://socialmouths.com/blog/ by the nice fella that is Francisco Rosales.

Over the last few weeks he has complied a really interesting series looking at 'your social media presence'.

Here are links to all five parts...definitely worth a look / bookmarking.

Part one of your social media presence - The hub

Part two of your social media presence - Content performance

Part three of your social media presence - Your network

Part four of your social media presence - Impact

Part five of your social media presence - Dashboard on a spreadsheet

Enjoy!!

A

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NOTE: Check out this piece from the NYT - very interesting too: Facebook goal for Nike?  

I've been chatting back and forth with @walshybhoy about the much shared full length Nike 'Write the future' video / ad.

If you type Nike Write The Future into YouTube you won't see the full length version come up in the results.

But the version below has already been viewed nearly 1 million times.

What?!?!? Simple, you have to share the 'unlisted' link.

This is, in my opinion, a very clever way of encouraging users to users to send / share the clip via their networks, instead of going direct to YouTube - this adds to it's exclusivity...and it's 'rarity' - even though it is very 'smokes and mirrors' it has certainly been shared a lot today.

Clever? Certainly different...

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