This week, Twitter released a new feature that allows for the creation of “lists.” This makes perfect sense: with the rapid growth of Twitter, it is becoming harder to figure out which people to follow. The amount of data out there is getting overwhelming; according to a CNN article:
“Approximately 25 million Tweets are posted every day; more than 5 billion have been created since Twitter’s launch.
“Facebook users are even more prolific in aggregate: Forty-five million updates are posted there daily. In May, the last date for which we have data, YouTube announced that 20 hours of video is uploaded to its servers every minute. That’s more than three years of content being uploaded to YouTube daily.
“As the barriers to media production fall — cameras in virtually every cell phone, video cameras in iPods, text messaging as a publishing platform — this content tsunami is growing ever taller”
Lists allow for those you trust to create a filter of all this data, by category, for you.
Ms. Adverthinker is a bit of a compulsive magazine reader: at last count, I believe my subscriptions totaled 13 magazines at home and five at the office. And, Wired is one of my favorites. I have not yet received my May issue, but after reading the NY Times article about the puzzle embedded in the issue, I am very excited:
“…the intent of their new issue, created in collaboration with Mr. Abrams [is] to immerse their audience in a series of riddles — some announced, others not — that were buried just deep enough for the readers who wanted to dig them up.”
At a time when publishers are struggling to keep readers engaged in print editions of both newspapers and magazines (and thereby sell advertising), this idea is brilliant. While the larger puzzle has already been solved, Wired says that there will be additional prizes for subsequent readers that solve the puzzle and there are still a few codes that haven’t been cracked yet.
AT&T premiered a new commercial during the Masters coverage this weekend; it featured TOMS founder Blake Mycoski. I have written about TOMS before in this space. The company gives shoes to children in need around the world. They are able to do this with a business model based on an one-for-one purchase: for every pair of shoes purchased by you, the consumer, TOMS gives one pair of shoes away. On the company’s blog, Mr. Mycoski writes:
“Two months ago AT&T approached us wanting to feature TOMS in an ad campaign. We could not have been more excited and grateful, but to find out weeks later that the ad would premiere as part of the Masters telecast was truly an honor.”
And, through Twitter, TOMS tells us that the commercial is doing the company some good:
“since the #TOMSatt commercial started airing last Thurs, thousands of children will receive a pair of shoes thanks to you!! One for One”
AT&T should receive big kudos for using their media power to promote companies like TOMS.
The New York Times has a map showing words tweeted during the Super Bowl. Very cool. Check it on out and be sure to press “play.” One of the most interesting things about this map is the geographic penetration of Twitter.
From the people that brought us the drumming gorilla, a new spot for Cadbury appears. It is great fun, just as chocolate should be. The drumming gorilla was a great viral success for Cadbury, and it looks as if this one has that potential too.
For those of you that do not remember the drumming gorilla, here it is (if it hasn’t been removed yet for copyright infringement):
Frequent readers of this blog know my opinion of the hit show Mad Men. I won’t go into another rant about it. I am not opposed to television shows that feature the advertising industry, however. I just want them to not make us look that bad. So, I am excited about a new show that premiers next week on TNT called “Trust Me.” Stay tuned for my opinions next week.
What interests me about this new show is that it is going to promote real products, according to an article in the New York Times.
Bliss is one of my favorite brands: quality products, great selection and clever communications. Their latest promotion is quite clever and ties nicely into current events. It is a bikini wax promotion titled “say farewell to Bush” and is timed to start with the inauguration. See it here.
I am a sucker for dance videos. They just make me happy. T-Mobile has a new “Life is for Sharing” campaign that uses dance videos on their YouTube channel as an example of one of those fun moments in life you like to share. The campaign is complete with a dance video contest. This is the perfect use of a brand’s YouTube channel. Check out the T-Mobile Dance Video:
