Just a quick post to let you know that the awesome folks over at The Next Great Generation have featured my first post: “A Gen Y Take on the ‘Film Your Issue’ Competition.” I’m honored and humbled to be included, as I’m a real fan of the site.

Enjoy!

I don’t have access to data on Gen-Y as a whole, but I would like to share some of my own dos and don’ts in terms of media and communications as a starting point.

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I don’t have cable, and don’t watch TV unless I’m at my grown-up boyfriend’s apartment.

I don’t have a landline telephone. In fact, with the exception of work and calling my mother once a day, I don’t speak on the phone much at all.

I don’t even remember the last time I listened to the radio.

I don’t read the newspaper or magazines, unless I buy one at the airport when traveling (although this may even happen less and less as wireless internet makes its way onto airplanes).

I don’t ever text in for special offers/promotions because I’m convinced I’ll be automatically signed up for some crazy horoscope subscription at $9.99/month.

I don’t try a new restaurant/salon/bar without reading a good number of reviews on Yelp (and sometimes Menupages as well).

I don’t play games on corporate/brand websites, and can’t imagine that anyone ever would.

I don’t remember the last time I bought something other than food/drinks in a brick-and-mortar store.

I don’t know when I last bought a full album of music, even on iTunes.

I don’t carry cash, and credit card limits are annoying enough to make me stop frequenting any business. (Seriously, come on — I’ll even pay the extra 35 cents for the processing fee!)

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I do communicate with my friends constantly.

I do multitask.

I do get 99% of my information online, both via push (Twitter, Facebook, AdAge newsletters) and pull (Google searches, reading blogs, etc.)

I do still buy books and am a voracious reader, but I do think it’s likely that one day I could make the switch to e-books without a problem.

I do love when I have the option to chat live with a customer service rep vs. calling in and sitting on hold for half an hour.

I do watch TV online — and if you don’t offer it for free, I do download episodes illegally from time to time.

I do hate watching pre-roll videos, but I’d rather put up with them than pay for the episodes (and mind them less if I am given a “choose your experience” option).

I do find that companies/brands worth following in the social media space are few and far between.

I do believe that if you can engage, entertain, and/or teach me, I will value what you have to say and come back for more.

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Marketers: take note.

I’m interested to know how similar or different my dos and don’ts are from other Gen-Yers’. Please share in the comments!

Like many others, I was excited about the release of Apple’s new tablet device earlier today. Although it appears to be more of a multimedia device than a communications device, it did get me thinking about the countless platforms that allow us to be in constant contact with one another.

iPhones. Blackberries. Email. Facebook. Twitter. Gchat. Skype. Google Wave. iPods. Netbooks. Blogs. Forums. A seemingly infinite number of smaller social networking sites. (Not to mention snail mail and … gasp … the telephone!)

If we wanted, we could communicate with others all day, every day. And if we were willing to listen, others could contact us at any given time.

So my question is — when is it time to sign off?

Countless people have addressed this issue as it relates to evening and weekend work-related communications. They have discussed whether employees should be compensated for this, what is considered appropriate, and ways to avoid the problem completely.

I suppose I am looking at this issue from more of an overall perspective. For example, I happen to be connected online for professional, hobby-related, and social reasons. Keeping on top of all three can undoubtedly be tricky at times, and prioritization has proven to be crucial.

Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in the day, and I do value my life in the *real* world as well. So when, if ever, does it become appropriate to ignore those comments on your Facebook page, or disregard those who retweeted my link? And how long before the inevitable guilt sets in?

And when to go out with good friends vs. writing that new blog post?

And when to catch up on my Google Reader vs. diving into the book that’s been sitting on my nightstand for weeks?

And when to just sign off?

Don’t get me wrong — I love the fact that I’m connected with so many people in so many ways. I’ve just always relied on my gut feelings when encountering the situations above, and haven’t come up with a standard game plan.

I’m interested in hearing how others prioritize their social media communications, especially vs. activities in the real world. Please share!

Luckily, this is already happening online. In fact, it has already happened. Past tense. It’s old news.

For those who need statistics — according to Forrester’s most recent data:

• 70% of US adults come into contact with some form of social media, such as by reading blogs, watching videos from other users, or listening to podcasts
• 59% visit social networking sites
• 37% comment and contribute online
• 24% create their own content

So let it be known to all — if there was any question left in your mind, the individual has been empowered in the online space.

The question now is, with so many empowered individuals out there, how in the world are we supposed to take in all this information, find what is relevant to each of us, and use it, all the while maintaining some sort of efficiency?

Filters.

I frequently find myself referencing Jeremiah Owyang and Forrester’s Five Eras of the Social Web. I believe we are really beginning to move into the third era: social colonization, in which every experience online can be social.

This is a great thing. (Hurray, progress!) However, to remain practical, it is imperative that we move into the fourth era — the era of social context, with personalized and accurate content — and to do so, filters will be key.

Until a few years ago, the media acted as our filter, with each publication or network sharing what they thought its audience should be exposed to.

Then, over the past few years, many sites have begun to offer their own filters for digital content:

• For years, Google has offered its SafeSearch filter, so inappropriate content does not appear in your search results.
• Facebook provides filters for the news feed, allowing you to control who will show up in your feed, and how often.
• Twitter introduced location-based filters yesterday, allowing users to see trending topics based upon geography.

We also filter based on the source of content. For example, we may use those we have met through social networking as filters (e.g., I like Chris Brogan’s posts and tend to have a similar point of view, so I read the links he posts and retweets.)

These filters are somewhat effective, but they are limiting because they force us to depend on a source to provide the content we want, rather than allowing the content to find us.

I believe that the future of filtering will not be done by source, but rather by content.

Could the future be such that we no longer need to use a different filter on each network? What if a service could auto-filter for us, based on our past and current behaviors? And how far could this go before we all would become worried about privacy violations?

It’s also interesting to consider the marketing implications. Online advertisers already have many of these tools (psychographic, lifestyle, and behavioral tracking) at their disposal for targeting purposes, so the infrastructure exists. We just need to find a way to use the same technologies as consumers to make sure that the relevant content we want is delivered.

And once these helpful filters are in place, in the end, do we end up right back where we started…by filtering out the voices of all of the individuals that we meant to empower? I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments!

Hello everyone!

First things first – I apologize for my absence the past week and a half or so. Between the internet being out at home, and a pretty terrible cold, I’ve been out of commission.

Anyway, I have a great short story about online brand management to share.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a “Wouldn’t It Be Great If…” post on a handful of ideas I had for the sites I frequently use. One of my comments was:

…MapMyRun provided functionality with popular social networking sites so marathoners and dieters could share goals and track their successes? (It would also be great if they didn’t require users to pay for a Gold Membership to use their iPhone and BlackBerry apps!)

I even had a couple readers contact me to let me know that they have thought the very same thing in the past! Anyway, time passed and there were new topics to discuss, so you can imagine my surprise when I received an email from MapMyRun’s Editor in Chief this past week.

In a very friendly and non-canned way, he shared information on MapMyRun’s current offerings and let me know that there is more to come in the future:

“I am happy to report that we have in fact improved our social networking capabilities online and within the latest version of our iMapMy apps.  Plus, later this winter we are going to roll out a whole new site redesign with greatly improved overall functionality—including some major enhancements to our social networking interface capabilities.“

Impressive!

Perhaps my favorite part of the email was at the end where he let me know that I could feel free to send an email with any other comments or suggestions to him or Sarah, MapMyRun’s dedicated community & member liaison.

I think that this is a great example of successful online brand management today. I made a suggestion on my own website, and not only did the brand see it, but they responded…

…and not only did they respond, but they responded very positively and encouraged additional feedback in the future…

…and not only did they do all this, but they wrote to me in a nice, friendly, human way, with the Editor in Chief even calling out the fact that he noticed I was from St. Louis, and that he spent some time there.

I think that’s what I appreciate most — the human aspect. Real people are listening and real people are responding. We are living at a very exciting time in business and technology, where the voices of individuals are not only heard, but are recognized.

I hope that as we move into the new decade, more businesses will see the value in this type of online brand management and CRM. It may take some extra time and effort to engage with consumers, but there is no question that the results are mutually beneficial.

Earlier today I was speaking to a very bright and enthusiastic college student who had some questions about the world of advertising. During the conversation we became very excited, sharing our career goals and ambitions with each other. At one point I heard myself speak the infamous words of none other than Veruca Salt — “I want it now.”

(If you’ve been living under a rock since 1971, Veruca Salt is the greedy little girl who wants a golden goose in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.)

Later in the evening, I was thinking about her song and realized that much of what she says epitomizes the stereotypical Gen Y outlook on life and work. Let’s take a look, and try to separate the stereotype from the reality (at least from my perpective).

I want the world.
I want the whole world.
I want to lock it all up in my pocket.

Stereotype: Gen Y has been spoiled by our parents throughout childhood, and we continue to be spoiled and greedy as we become adults.

Reality: Our generation does have big ambitions and dreams. This is true. However, most of us want to take the world and make it a better place. In fact, over 80% of us believe it’s important to give back to the community through work. Not too shabby!

I want a party with roomfuls of laughter.

Stereotype: We expect work to be a barrel of laughs. If it’s not fun, we don’t want to be doing it.

Reality: Whether or not you believe me, we understand that every minute of every day can’t be filled with hilarity. We really do. But what is wrong with enjoying what we do as much as possible? We believe that fun and excitement are key components to a worthwhile and successful career.

I want today.
I want tomorrow.
I want to wear ‘em like braids in my hair
and I don’t want to share ‘em!

Stereotype: We believe that our time belongs to us — not you — because work is not life. We will plan our schedules as we see fit.

Reality: Whether we were in dance classes, voice lessons, basketball practices, or math contests, Gen Y has always filled our time with activities specifically geared at enriching our lives. Many of us were encouraged to pursue any and every activity that we wanted (that we could fit in between school and dinner!). We view this flexibility as a very positive thing as adults, allowing us to learn and grow both personally and professionally.

I want the works.
I want the whole works.
Presents and and prizes and sweets and surprises
of all shapes and sizes.

Stereotype: Gen Y demands constant rewards for mediocre performance.

Reality: Gen Y loves feedback. And although positive reinforcement and rewards are always nice, we also understand that constructive criticism can be necessary and helpful at times. However, instead of receiving this feedback at set intervals (i.e., scheduled employee reviews), we appreciate when the feedback is given immediately, so we can learn, adapt, and grow more quickly.

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Gen Y may be ambitious, but I do believe that our hearts are in the right place. (I also think the Oompa Loompas would approve!)

"What do you get when you come from Gen Y? Passion is strong and your standards are high!"

(Sorry for the cheesiness!! It’s late.)

Anyway, do you think that these qualities will ultimately help us to succeed? Or are we just a bunch of spoiled brats lusting after a golden goose?

Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut must be one of my favorite authors of all time. Breakfast of Champions, Slaughterhouse Five, Hocus Pocus…I love them all. If you haven’t read any of his work, I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Anyway, I was skimming through Timequake the other day and realized that he offers a wealth of advice that actually applies to the world of social media. As a fun weekend post, let’s take a look at what he has to offer.

“New knowledge is the most valuable commodity on earth. The more truth we have to work with, the richer we become.” – Cat’s Cradle

We are living at a such an exciting time! Anything and everything we could ever want to learn about can be found online. Knowledge has been democratized. Every single person has the opportunity to share, and I believe we will all become collectively richer from it–in mind, in spirit, and perhaps even in wealth.

“[Freedom of speech] isn’t something somebody else gives you. That’s something you need to give to yourself.” – Hocus Pocus

We now have more freedom of speech than anyone in history, and everyone’s voice can be heard. However, it still requires that we take the first step. Joining that social network. Starting that blog. Writing that comment. There is no longer an excuse to sit passively on the sidelines.

“Many people need desperately to receive this message: ‘I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people don’t care about them. You are not alone.’” – Timequake

Not only is it a great thing to be a part of this worldwide dialogue — it is almost an obligation. Who knows when someone will be inspired by your ideas, or comforted in the fact that they are not the only one who feels a certain way. Your participation in online communities can truly change a person’s day, mood, or general outlook, whether from across town or across the globe.

“When a man becomes a writer, I think he takes on a sacred obligation to produce beauty and enlightenment and comfort at top speed.” – Cat’s Cradle

This quote is even more true today than when Vonnegut penned it. You no longer have to be an “author” to be a writer. Countless people have become writers online, and although their topics may vary, each is offering their own version of beauty or enlightenment. However, because there is so much content, now more than ever we find that everything is transient, and passes in the blink of an eye. We all must do our part to contribute and participate whenever possible.

“People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order, so they’ll have good voice boxes in case there’s ever anything really meaningful to say.” – Cat’s Cradle

Although this sounds like a negative, I don’t take it as such. This is actually one of the reasons I started this blog. Though not all of the posts here are exceptional or groundbreaking or memorable, I do think it’s important that I keep putting my thoughts out there…and when I do have something exceptional or groundbreaking or memorable to share, I’ll have the platform to do so.

“Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do the maintenance.” - Hocus Pocus

This is extremely applicable to those who want to become thought leaders today. Things get in the way. We get busy. There are distractions. It’s easy to start a blog, but it can be hard to find the time and energy to write regularly. We must remember that, just as with anything else, maintenance is key to long-term success.

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.” – Mother Night

Each of us is creating our own doppelgänger of sorts online. I’m doing it now. (So are you!) This online persona is becoming more and more important. New employers and potential friends will examine the digital trails we leave, and make judgments accordingly. Although this is a reason to exercise caution, it is also a great opportunity to improve ourselves, one baby step at a time. Pretend to be more confident…pretend to be more open…pretend that what you have to say is powerful…and you might discover one day that it is true (and that others think so too!)

…..

Unfortunately the late, great Kurt V. is no longer with us. He may be gone, but his great advice is as powerful as ever.

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So it goes.

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In an attempt to get a handle on this, let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start!) with the definition of media.

MEDIA

Media: Plural form of medium. The most basic definition of a medium is “an intervening substance through which something else is transmitted or carried on” (American Heritage Dictionary). In the case of communications, the substance is the actual magazine, TV channel, or the radio station; and it serves the purpose of transmitting all sorts of messages.

Both advertising and PR have been working with traditional media separately (and successfully) for years, without the current sense of competition over ownership of any particular medium.

MARKETING 101

• PR agencies work within a given medium via influencers (traditionally the press), hoping that these thought leaders will spread the word — a top-down approach.
• Advertising agencies will often work within the same medium, but will speak directly to consumers, sharing information on product benefits in the hope that consumers will notice the messaging and make a purchase – a bottom-up approach.

The key takeaway here is that both PR and advertising have always worked with with the same media based on the same (or similar) end goals for the brand; they simply take different approaches. Why would social media operate differently?

MARKETING 101 — APPLIED TO SOCIAL MEDIA

When beginning a social media initiative, a brand should first consider what its goals are.

Should it start with influencers to create a buzz? PR firms are great at this, and could leverage their networking skills to interact with bloggers and other influencers in the digital space.

Should the brand go directly to consumers, creating a large user base by marketing the product’s benefits? In this case, an advertising agency would likely be more effective, especially when putting together engaging, interactive contests and promotions for consumers.

I would guess that a combination of the approaches is often the brand’s best bet in the long term, just as it always has been in traditional media.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA PIZZA

The situation is simple to understand when you look at it like a pizza.

Let’s say I make absolutely delicious pizza sauce — rich and sweet, with just the right amount of tang. Let’s also say that my friend makes the best cheese in the world, gooey and melty. And we can’t forget the crust — without it, there would be nothing on which to place these tasty toppings. You could serve the crust covered in sauce only, but that sounds boring and messy. You could also serve the crust with only cheese, but that sounds bland and dry. However, when all three elements of the pizza are combined, the results are phenomenal.

This is just like the advertising/PR/social media dilemma. Advertising is the awesomesauce. PR is the big cheese. One or the other could do its best to “own” the crust (the medium), but it’s not ideal. Just like our pizza, when the different elements exist together, everything works harmoniously and is exponentially better for everyone. We just need to let each element play to its strengths, without taking full control.

Teamwork — what a thought!!

In the future, I could see successful agencies housing both advertising and PR teams, to maximize synergies — syncing their storytelling for truly delicious results.

What do you think?

P.S. I just noticed that PR-squared came to a similar conclusion. It will be interesting to see where 2010 leads us!

“You don’t have to do everything today.”

A colleague and friend told me this earlier this week when, as usual, I was running around the office, stressing about everything on my to-do list. Of course I initially brushed off the comment — I was too busy! However, later when I had a few spare moments, I remembered what he had said. It made me think…

In today’s world, with constant updates at our fingertips and everything changing by the minute, who wins: the tortoise or the hare?

Just having been in the “real world” for a year and a half, I am anxious to start making waves. I can’t wait. According to Jason Ryan Dorsey, this is a key characteristic of Gen Y — we want it all, and we want it now. (And we want to do it our way!)

As a result, I find myself in a constant state of rushing and multitasking, as do my peers. We work hard and fast, but are we as effective as we think?

Sometimes I imagine that if I would give myself nice, long, uninterrupted chunks of time, I could really focus and increase my productivity and the quality of my work. But would it really happen? Instead, I imagine that I would grow bored, wondering what my friends were doing, what new episodes are on Hulu, and what news was breaking. Even as I write this post, I’m Gchatting with a friend, watching the Microsoft keynote at CES, and checking my Twitter updates every few minutes.

I actually find the distractions to be a source of stability. I feel more focused and comfortable knowing that I can access anyone and anything at anytime; and when I’m in this mode, I believe I do my best work.

So in conclusion, I have no conclusion. Rather, I’m interested in hearing from others, both from my generation and otherwise.

What do you think — does slow and steady win the race?

After a much needed break for the holidays, it’s time to go back to work tomorrow. Although I took this time to shut my brain down for a while, I took note of a few meandering thoughts I had while lying on the beach in Mazatlan. The theme of this post:

Wouldn’t It Be Great If…

…Yelp paired up with OpenTable and/or SeamlessWeb so we could easily use its bevy of restaurant reviews when making a reservation or placing an order?

…foursquare paired up with Cellfire or Samplesaint to provide me with coupons that could be scanned on my phone based on the businesses around me?

…NYC’s MTA paired up with Google Maps to show where  subway trains are and when they are expected to arrive at a given location?

…NYC’s MTA also offered WiFi in its stations so I could actually do work while waiting instead of growing infuriated with the F train (or, really, any train) that isn’t here?

…more brands used a different Twitter account for each category of news so I could only subscribe to the updates I’m interested in? MSNBC really gets this, providing unique, relevant updates on @msnbc_politics, @msnbc_business, @msnbc_health, and countless other accounts.

…MapMyRun provided functionality with popular social networking sites so marathoners and dieters could share goals and track their successes? (It would also be great if they didn’t require users to pay for a Gold Membership to use their iPhone and BlackBerry apps!)

What do you think would be great?