Class Dismissed….MCS gets a revamp!

Well, my Emerging Media class (and initial reason for starting this blog) has come to an end.  However, I’ve enjoyed my blogging experience so much that I’ve decided to continue writing ”Media Chronicles of a SuperMOM” (MCS).  Ofcourse, not without a bit of revamping since I no longer have to follow along with the content guidelines of the class.  Although the guidelines were helpful in keeping me in tune with my lessons, the added pressure of a “graded blog” I felt stifled my creativity at times.  So I’m extremely excited to see where I can go MCS now that the pressure is off.  I fell in love with both the theme and name of this blog so I’m going to stick with it.  BUT instead of just focusing on the emerging media trends that were required for my class, I’m going to open it up to all media.  I am, after all, a MEDIA JUNKIE;-)  I don’t want to put stipulations on this blog.  I’ll pretty much write about whatever “floats my boat”…in the media world…in mommyworld…and in MY world!  I have alot of ideas brewing in this head of mine so stay tuned.  And so, without further ado, I welcome you to Media Chronicles of a SuperMOM…WITHOUT LIMITATIONS.

**By the way, for those of you who are wondering, I got an A+ in the class:-)  So good things are already coming of MCS.**

Bring on 2011!

As 2010 comes to a close, we’ve seen some amazing developments in technology and emerging media.  I look forward to 2011 being no different.  In a recent CNN article, Pete Cashmore lists some of his technology predictions for the new year. 

Flipboard:  Thanks to the iPad’s rise, we can expect Fliboard (a first-mover in the “iPad magazine” space) to be a breakout hit in 2011.  Cashmore calls it the “’Angry Birds’ of news apps”.

Instagr.am:  Launched 10 weeks ago, this iPhone photography app makes it easy to share photos on social networks and “looks set for a stellar 2011”.

Tumbler:  Now serving more than 3 billion page views per month, this 3-year-old microblogging website saw a growth spurt at the end of this year and is “on track to ‘cross the chasm’ to mainstream appeal next year”. 

Groupon:  This daily deal site is likely to gain more popularity, although Cashmore is not completely convinced that the site will continue its growth rate forever.  Personally, I think the company needs a major customer service revamp (see my previous blog post). 

Zynga:  This social network gaming company will likely hit the public market in 2011, although its success still depends heavily on its relationship with Facebook.

Facebook and Facebook Deals:  Of course it’s not surprise that Facebook will be a big player in 2011. As Cashmore so eloquently stated, Facebook’s “Like” buttons allow the company to “understand both our social connections and our interests, providing the holy grail of targeted advertising”.  And with the launch of Facebook deals, the company is perfectly positioned to become a leader in local coupons and offers (sorry Groupon). 

Other 2011 Front Runners:  LinkedIn, Skype, and Pandora

 And as for me, in 2011?  Well, I plan to continue my quest as the almighty Media Supermom…conquering my way through the challenges of marketing, media, and the greatest of all…motherhood. 

Wishing you all the BEST on your 2011 journey!

Ugh! Groupon…Poopon! (A Consumer Rant)

This past Friday I decided to try out Groupon, the daily deal website that allows you to view and purchase deals from local businesses.  I’ve been getting the emails for a few months now but hadn’t seen a deal that really caught my eye—until Friday that is. When I got to work that day, I received my daily Groupon email and decided to give it a try.  The deal for the day was a special at one of our local golf clubs.  It featured 18 holes of golf for two people and a cart rental for $24 (regularly $54).  I thought this would be an awesome and thoughtful date idea for my fiancee who hasn’t been golfing since we moved to Wichita over 3 years ago.  So, I decided why not give this Groupon thing a try. 

Ok, so here goes my Groupon first experience rant…. 

First of all, I didn’t initially understand that you actually order the special online as opposed to through the business.  So at first I called the golf club, who by the way was surprised that the special was even still being advertised on Groupon.  According to the employee, that deal was put on Groupon weeks ago and they were unaware it was put up again.  Hmmm….maybe this should have been my first clue that something was a bit off.  Nonetheless, I was told to go ahead and get the deal on the Groupon website since it was still there.  So I go to the Groupon website and purchase the deal as a gift, enter in my fiancee’s email for it to be sent, and finish it off with a cute love note to him.  So I’m done and excited about him waking up to my gift and email—or so I thought.  After waiting a few minutes for a confirmation email, I check the website again and it turns out my order is still processing.  I figure maybe it just takes a little while so I get to work and check back again in a couple hours only to find out it was STILL processing.  I find a number for the company and call to find out what in the world is going on with my order.  Of course no one answers so my only option was to leave a voicemail and hope for a call back sometime soon.  That never happened.  The entire day passed and my order was STILL processing.  It wasn’t until Saturday night that I checked the website again to find out that my order had finally gone through. Great, right? Yes, EXCEPT for the fact that it had been processed as a regular order instead of a gift, therefore it was never sent to my fiancée.  At this point I was completely frustrated with Groupon.  Luckily, I was able to go back into my order and resend it as gift (although I did have to rewrite my cute love note).  So my fiancée finally received his gift a day later.  Let’s just I am less than impressed with Groupon thus far.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if someone actually returned my customer service call and let me know what was going on….still waiting. 

If you’re considering using Groupon, don’t let my one experience deter you completely.  But I would suggest looking at some other reviews as well.  Here’s a link to the SiteJabber website where you can read about other consumer experiences with Groupon…some good, some bad.

Fruit Punch…Dragonfruit…Orange…Facebook?

This year Facebook has pretty much dominated the social media world.  But who knew it could also be a flavor?  In January 2010, VitaminWater launched a new flavor “Connect” , complete with a Facebook logo and a full paragraph description loaded with references to untagging friend requests and photo stalking.  The drink, infused with black cherry-lime flavor, caffeine, and “eight key nutrients”, was first distributed to stores nationwide in March.  The “Connect” flavor and label were a result of a Facebook campaign that invited competing fans to design their own flavors. Here’s the message VitaminWater used to announce the contest winner and new drink:

“Unlike the never-ending debate over whether it’s rock-paper-scissors or paper-rock-scissors, based on your votes and your designs, the latest flavor of vitaminwater has FINALLY been decided… introducing the black cherry-lime flavored vitaminwater named… connect! check out this new package- flavor & ingredients, name & label design- all inspired by you- our fans. it’s got 8 key nutrients plus caffeine. thanks for all your help- especially to the grand prize winner Sarah from Illinois and the four other finalist http://budurl.com/q27w. vitaminwater connect will be available in stores nationwide in march this year- so until then, stay hydrated- and keep your eyes here for news, updates and special offers for connect, including a possible sneak tasting opportunity. and btw… it’s rochambeau!”

Absolut Vodka Meets “Kill Bill”

As emerging media trends continue to set the pace for new creative approaches to marketing, companies are finding innovative ways to get their message to the masses.  One way in which these corporations are accomplishing this is through online short films such as Absolut’s “Lemon Drop”.  Ali Larter kicks butt “Kill Bill” style in this short film, which markets the company’s Citron flavored Vodka. Larter stars as a sweet girl named Lemon Drop who discovers that her beloved kittens were kidnapped by the devious Johnny Thunderbird, a night lounge singer who’s gained success by stealing other people’s voices.

I found the video to be entertaining, in a cheesy sort of way—and I think that’s exactly what the creators were trying to accomplish. I enjoyed the retro 70’s vibe of the film, as well as the paradox relation to the “Kill Bill” movies.  The film was first premiered on September 7th on Absolut’s Facebook page. Visitor’s must “like” the Absolute Page in order to view the movie— an impressive marketing move on the company’s part. The video can now be found on YouTube and other blogs. 

The film is an innovative marketing concept and draws consumers to the company’s Facebook page and builds awareness for the Absolut brand.  The fact that it’s a spoof on a very popular movie series draws viewers as well.  Also important to mention, is that unlike traditional advertising, it’s not a pushy or overbearing advertising attempt. The product is marketed subtly yet effectively, and stimulates consumer feedback and conversation—two things that are of high importance in marketing today.

Of course there’s always the question of ethics. Are marketing attempts such as this, which use entertainment to somewhat hide marketing messages and sell products, ethically wrong? I don’t think so.  I don’ believe consumers are misled in this marketing attempt at all.  Most consumers realize this is a form of advertising but that it is meant to entertain as well.  Free online entertainment as an incentive to purchase your product—why not?

Facebook and Twitter…The Social Media Titans

Facebook and Twitter are currently two of the biggest players in social media. While both websites essentially give users the ability to connect and communicate with others, each does it using a different approach. Facebook is a social networking site used to communicate with friends, families, and businesses through the use of individual profiles, status updates, events, pictures, and more. Twitter, on the other hand, is a micro-blogging website that allows users to post and follow frequent “tweets” or updates about their current thoughts, activities, businesses, and lives in general.

In a Mashable article, Soren Gordhamer distinguishes the advantages and disadvantages of Twitter and Facebook by establishing the most effective uses for each:

Twitter
• Connecting with Someone You Don’t Know: Reading someone’s tweets may give you a better sense of their personality and interests; also communication by someone unknown seems to be more welcome via Twitter than Facebook
• Breaking News: Although people post news on Facebook, Twitter allows easy access to breaking news through hashtags and makes it easier to retweet, find, or discuss the topic with the entire community; and while people on Facebook are usually multitasking on the site, the primary focus on twitter is discovering and sharing news.
• New Learning and Discovery: Twitter can be seen as “one massive introduction system” as it allows you to see who influences a person and to decide if these people would interest you as well; users recommend other users by retweeting or mentioning someone using the @username option

Facebook
• Local News/Events: Facebook friends are usually comprised of those who live closer geographically so local news and events are more relevant and easy to find; also provides the ability to start and join locally focused groups
• Connecting with Someone You Know: Facebook allows you to connect with those you know more efficiently through chat and more sustainable conversations (rather than the “what’s new focus of Twitter); also allows you a better view inside their lives through profiles and photo albums.
• Help on an Issue: Gordhamer states that if he’s looking for feedback on a personal issue he’s more likely to post it on Facebook; friends on Facebook are usually those you have a more personal relationship with and are more apt to make suggestions on those issues.

And then there’s the privacy issue…

As author Tony Bradley states in a PCWorld.com article, “Social networking is built on the idea of sharing information openly and fostering a sense of community”.  I think with that being said, it’s important for people to realize exactly what this means. By using Facebook, Twitter, and any other social networking site you potentially run the risk of having your information shared beyond the boundaries you think you’ve created. Therefore, be careful what you post on these websites. For example just because a user’s boss may not be in their network doesn’t put them in the clear to openly express their dismay. “Being outside of your network, your boss can’t see you post directly, but if one of your Facebook friends who are connected with your boss comments on your status update…your boss may be able to click on the link through the common friend and see your post anyway”.  It’s situations like these and privacy issues in general that make it important for social networking users to approach these sites with caution and to remember that nothing is truly “private” online.

Myspace for Kids?

The other day I came across an article about interactive digital media usage by young kids.  In the article, it mentions a website called Club Penguin, a virtual world where children use penguin avatars to interact with friends and play games.  I hadn’t heard of such online social interactive sites for kids before and thought it’d be interesting to look into this website further.  Tonight, with the help of my very excited four-year-old son BJ, I created a Club Penguin account and explored this kid-friendly virtual world.   Once our account was created, my son was able to personalize his penguin with a name and color.  We then entered into one of the meeting areas where we were surrounded by other penguins, activities, and other locations we could explore.  I was pretty impressed with how educationally engaging some of the games and activities were.  For instance, in one of the “houses” we went into BJ was able to practice typing letters in a storybook.  The website is designed for kids ages 6-14 so at this point I think my son is a bit young to fully use the site– but I wouldn’t be against paying it another visit in a year or so.