Try Your Hand at Writing

March 5th, 2010 in Around the Office, Consider This, General Blogginess, Social Media by Katie | No comments

As I was driving to work today a terrible thought hit me like a ton of bricks hitting the pavement from a fourth-story window: are we completely abandoning the art of handwriting?

that's my handwriting!When was the last time you wrote a letter to a friend…on actual paper? Paper, you might recall, is that wonderful, tangible thing that we all used to carry around in our book bags and briefcases. We used to feel the smooth sheets between our fingers and stare sheepishly at the blank canvases, fearful that at any moment the slightest twitch of a finger could ruin a perfectly crafted letter, poem or thank you note.

Now we send eCards, update Facebook profiles and send out tweets – tap, tap, click, click, wooosh – and there it goes into the digital space! Sure, you may still pick up a pen to write a check, sign your name on a receipt and jot down some quick notes here and there, but whatever happened to the calming act of sitting down at your desk, pulling out that blank sheet of paper and watching the ink bleed permanent meditations before your very eyes.

I’m not knocking the technological/green revolution. Not by any means. I just miss having letters I can hold and seeing people’s personalities come out in the swoop of an “e” or the curves of an “s.” These handwritten pieces may not be instant, they may not be all about SEO, but they’re pretty. And I like pretty things.

And here’s one other thing to think about. If students are taking notes on computers, sending emails, updating online statues etc., then what does that mean for our hardcopy future? Will we revert back to the days when just a few gifted scholars sat in large, quiet rooms recording history and literature in leather books?

This is what I think about on my way to work. That, and how much I love coffee.

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Long Beach Approves Acres of Books “Art Exchange”

March 2nd, 2010 in Our Neck of the Woods by Mr. Casey | 2 comments

An artist's rendering of the proposed Acres of Books Art Exchange.

Cool news on the Acres of Books front! Long Beach’s former literary landmark has sat empty and unloved for the nearly two years since it was sold to the city’s redevelopment agency, but major progress is now being made toward kickstarting its new life as a hub of artistic activity. The Press-Telegram reports:

The Long Beach Redevelopment Agency Board approved the final environmental impact report for Art Exchange, an art-driven facility where visitors can watch local artists create, buy art and attend classes.

The 10,150-square-foot building would be at least silver LEED certified and incorporate the front 5,000 square feet of Art Deco facade of Acres of Books, the longtime business that once attracted writer Ray Bradbury and other literati to its cavernous bookstore at 240 Long Beach Blvd., Acres’ home for 50 of its 74 years.

Current plans are for the Art Exchange to be administrated by a nonprofit group, and to feature “artists studios, a hot shop for glass making, ceramics production, demonstrations and classes, gallery spaces” and more.

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Another Reminder to be Careful What You Post

February 25th, 2010 in Social Media by Rha | No comments

EPIC FAIL!Everybody should know by now to be careful what you post on your Facebook page (or any of your social media profiles). And yet, it seems like a new story comes out every week about somebody getting fired, suspended or embarrassed because of what they’ve posted. Here’s a roundup of some recent incidents:

  • A North Carolina teacher has been suspended for posting derogatory comments about her students on her Facebook page. It all started when Melissa Hussain took to Facebook to complain about rumors of her being a “Jesus hater.” It all boiled over when somebody anonymously left a Bible on her desk. Granted, it doesn’t sound like a great work environment, but she probably should not have made her comments public.
  • The latest comes from the University of Oregon where one of their players, wide receiver Jamere Holland, was dismissed from the team this week for “a violation of team rules.” After Holland thought that one of his teammates was kicked off the team for DUI, he took to Facebook with a profanity-filled post:

“How you [expletive] kick kinko [sic] off the team on some weak [expletive]. … he slipped up but ive been slippn up, and I’m still here, that [expletive] … could damage for the ducks, that [expletive] is weak, weak [expletive], quote me.”

The post spread rapidly across the internet. While this wasn’t indicated as the specific reason for Holland’s dismissal, when asked if the Facebook update had anything to do with it, Oregon coach Chip Kelly responded: “I won’t get into the specifics, but you’re smart enough to figure it  out.”

  • While the ramifications probably won’t be as great, Chad Kroeger, frontman of Nickelback, is already becoming the laughingstock of the internet for showing a total lack of humor after a pickle rounded up more fans based on a page called, “Can this pickle get more fans than Nickleback?” Responding to the page with a threat to have it closed down probably won’t endear him to the masses; I anticipate much more animosity headed his way.
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Feed for Thought

February 24th, 2010 in Social Media, Technology by Katie | No comments

I’m an avid user of Google Reader. It just makes my life easier, putting all of my favorite blogs in one place and organizing them for me like a good little helper. It makes me happy. It keeps things orderly. It is wonderful. I love it.

Feedly.comThat was until I met my new reader beau, Feedly.com. Feedly takes my relationship with my reader to a new level of incredible. It creates this whole new world comprised of all my blog subscriptions, topics I might be interested in and more, with a fun, magazine-esque home page that’s more than easy on the eye.

It couldn’t get any better…but wait, there’s more!? Yes, Feedly just announced the “iPhone Prototype 7” – yippee! Now you can access all the wonders straight from your iPhone!

Feedly.com has changed the way I stay connected with my many subscriptions, and I really hope that you give it a try. So, what are you waiting for?

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E Pluribus Typo

February 17th, 2010 in Consider This, General Blogginess by Katie | No comments

The 50-peso coin with Chile spelt wronglyHere at Gunn/Jerkens we take proofreading pretty seriously. Of course, we’re only human, so occasionally a typo will make it through the first round…only to be caught by the next pair of hawkeyes we have on staff. That said, we can’t help but gasp at the horrific mistake made by the Chilean mint in 2008.

“The general manager of the Chilean mint has been dismissed after thousands of coins were issued with the name of the country spelt wrongly.

The 50-peso coins – worth about 10 cents (6p) – were issued in 2008, but no-one noticed the mistake until late last year.”

Wow. Well, that’s embarrassing. Can you imagine anything worse? Maybe misspelling the name of a country on its own flag?

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The Future of iPad?

February 17th, 2010 in Consider This, Technology by Katie | No comments

Over the weekend I was at a social function and ran into a friend of mine that works as an Apple Genius. This guy knows his stuff and is a devoted fan of all things Mac.

We got to talking about the iPad and its pros and cons. I explained to him that I have both an iPhone and a Kindle and therefore fail to find a need for the new toy. He, surprisingly, agreed but went on to speak to the iPad’s other potential uses.

ipad

My favorite suggestion of his was to have hospitals use it for medical record tracking. I can absolutely see doctors ditching the clipboard for an iPad. Not only would it save time and increase efficiency, but it’s also eco-friendly! How’s that for functionality?

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The Jane Austen Guide to Social Media

February 11th, 2010 in Social Media by Katie | 3 comments

The what? Yes, you read that correctly. Jane Austen was more than just a supremely divine author (I’m a diehard fan, can you tell?), she was also the source of some very accurate observations that can be applied to the new social media realm.The modern Austen? Photo by Theo Westenberg

Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. ~ Emma

Many people consider things like Twitter and Facebook to be “silly” wastes of time. However, put a knowledgeable person behind a keyboard on one of these forums and watch what happens. You’ll notice that a steady stream of comments about sandwiches and celebrities will quickly transform into an invaluable information feed.

Everybody likes to go their own way–to choose their own time and manner of devotion. ~ Mansfield Park

Check that out – the brilliant Austen, in all her glory, predicted the demise of “push marketing” before anyone else! No one wants to be told what to do and when to do it, and this is directly connected to our current obsession with social forums. People would much rather turn to review sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor than take their cues from more traditional marketing efforts (i.e. print advertisements). That’s not to say that those aren’t important. It’s just that now most people want to hear from other folks about their real-life experiences, and then make decisions based on the candid opinions and feelings that they share. Jane was on to something big. Read the rest of this entry »

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Moms {heart} Facebook & You Should Too

February 4th, 2010 in New Media, Social Media by Katie | No comments

The brilliant folks over at MediaPost have a great section called Engage:Moms, and if you don’t have it all nice and snug in your Reader then you are missing out. One of their recent articles I found particularly interesting as it covers how Facebook is fertile ground to engage mothers and drive sales – a no brainer, right?

Facebook is for Everyone!Wrong. Apparently some marketers are still in the dark about the solid benefits of participating on Facebook by means other than display ads. That seems odd to me, and I don’t mean that in a snarky way. I suppose I’m just so deeply entrenched in these social channels that I have a hard time understanding how people aren’t. Does that make me a bad person? Shoot, I hope not.

I’m not a mom (yet), but I will give you an example of one way that I use Facebook.

When I want to find a new restaurant, I don’t look in the Yellow Pages. First, I go to Facebook and ask my friends for suggestions.

“Anybody have a favorite sushi place I should try tonight?”

Within 30 minutes I have five or six recommendations. From there I turn to Yelp to see how these venues compare in price, and what the reviews are like. Then I find the one that best suits my needs and proceed to enjoy yummy white tuna sashimi (hopefully). Following my meal I thank my friend for the suggestion via Facebook or Twitter, and write my own review on Yelp. And thus the social circle of life continues…

According to the study and report on marketing to moms on Facebook, they found:

  • That more than eight in 10 moms log on daily, and three in 10 log on five or more times a day.
  • They use the site primarily to interact with others in their social networks – which translates into a lot of potential referrals.
  • 75% of moms are fans of at least one company on Facebook, and parenting-specific sites are moms’ top picks.

I think the point here is this: if you are treating moms as consumers first, rather than as people first, you’re missing out on greater long-term engagement. Of course, this applies to more than just moms, but the article definitely got me to thinking about it. Why would you limit yourselves to just Facebook Ads? Start talking, start sharing and build a relationship that lasts more than five seconds.

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Got a Quirky Idea for a New Product?

February 4th, 2010 in New Media, Social Media by Rha | No comments

I came across this genius product, Zip-up Earbuds, and it reminded me of this cool website that I recently discovered.

Quirky.comDescribed as a “social product development company,” Quirky.com is a site where anyone can submit their own ideas for products. Registered members can then influence what products actually get developed. Members can read about and explore all of the submitted ideas, vote on which ones they like best, rate them in categories like “cool” and “value,” and leave comments. If you check out the site, you’ll find there are so many “I can’t believe I never thought of that!” ideas.

What’s fun is that the community of users can really influence the products throughout the whole process. Product submissions with the highest number of votes in their respective group move forward to the research phase, followed by design, naming and then the tagline. All along the way, the community is voting and providing feedback to help make the best product possible. Even if someone’s idea doesn’t make it far in the process, they are still getting constructive feedback from site members, which is a great benefit to any inventor.

You can visit the Quirky.com store to purchase and read the product development history of winning items such as the Scratch-n-Scroll or JUS. Check out the site and help create some fun stuff!

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Oscar Noms and Social Media

February 2nd, 2010 in General Blogginess, Social Media by Mr. Casey | No comments

Interesting commentary here from Zennie Abraham on the Academy Awards’ lack of social media smarts.

Considering the collective movie audience and television and marketing exposure, the 2010 Academy Award Nominations Announcement Event should be the top news of the day, dominating Google Trends, Twitter top hashtags, live stream views, and with all of that, total reach. Instead, Oscar’s outdone by “Punxsutawney Phil 2010″ or “Groundhogs Day”.

Now with all due respect to Punxsutawney Phil, Zennie has a point. As of 11:50 am, this morning’s Oscar nominations are still not trending on Twitter. Part of the problem? The Oscars don’t even have a Twitter account! Come on guys. We know the jokes about how old the members of the Academy are, but really?

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