#FBPlacesRulz versus #FBPlacesFail

September 3rd, 2010

Social media is everywhere around us, and recent studies show that Americans are spending a large percentage of their computer time utilizing social networking. With the growing popularity of social media, users have become accustomed to certain tools and features. From Twitter to YouTube, and even MySpace change is not always a good thing.  Adjusting the platform to the taste of it’s loyal users could be a nearly impossible task. Some ideas sore in popularity, while others epically fail, what do you think about Facebook places?

Facebook launched its location-based feature on August 19th, and so far I still don’t know a single soul who’s used it.

Given the nature of Facebook and keeping in mind past brouhahas about changes in the social networking service, I thought  Gawker.com’s first reaction was the most appropriate – “The First Thing You Should Do With Facebook Places: Don’t Let Other People Tag You”.  I’m not saying FB is evil, but just that when they launch new features it makes sense to get a quick handle on how to control information about you.

Like many others, I rushed to shut off what I thought would become a flood of pernicious reports linking me to various unsavory New York establishments at inappropriate hours of the night (all of which would be truthful of course, just not fit for my mother to see, and she joined a couple months ago.  We’re friends).

Instead, though, I haven’t seen a single trickle.  It seems as though everyone has adopted a similar view on the subject: “I might be willing to do this thing you suggest, Facebook, but first I’ll need to see if anyone else has taken you up on it.”  Either that or a slightly less engaged reaction like “Facebook Places?” or “Face Book… ???”  Regardless, I’m just not seeing people using the service.

I’ve posted a few inquiries on my ‘book page, and didn’t get anyone who fessed up to using the service, or even had anything positive to say.  Most of the friends who responded listed that their main objection was that they felt it to be too intrusive.  I can see where they’re coming from – location-based social media services definitely feel strange when you start using them.

Being an inveterate fan of Foursquare, though, the reasons I’m not switching over are different.  I like Foursquare – I’ve got a nice closed community of friends who I’m interested to see where they’re hanging out, and to whom I’m interested in bragging about my exploits about time.

One main reason I’m not excited to pull the geo-location stuff into my Facebook life is that Facebook really IS my whole life – it’s pretty much everyone I’ve been friendly with since I got on the service in college, and now even family (see: Mom).  These add up to hundreds of people I don’t want to have to sort into to “share my location” and “don’t share my location” subgroups.  Annoying!

Finally, Facebook just hasn’t made the case to me as to why I should use Places.  Whereas Foursquare is an exciting, young, fresh new thing to try (have you used weeplaces to get a visualization of your checkins?  So cool!), Places feels like something FB is trying to make me do.  “You WILL integrate The Facebook into every aspect of your life, users!”  Zuckerberg’s getting a little too pushy for my taste.

-Topher
So what do you think?  Let us know on our Twitter account http://www.twitter.com/publicnyc @publicnyc).  If you totally <3 FB Places, we’d love to hear why (#FBPlacesRulz).  If you think it’s the new Google Wave, direct your hate our way too (#FBPlacesFail).

comment
Posted in Misc.

Will Viral Video/Internet Be Art’s Savior? Look No Further Than CeeLo

August 31st, 2010

R&B and seasoned Funk artist, Ceelo Green has been on the mainstream music scene for quite sometime. From his solo projects to his colloborative efforts with “Gnarls Barkely”, Ceelo is no stranger to making gigantic splashes in the music industry. However, his new hit single bravely titled “F*ck You” which may not make it to too many radio station’s rotation lists!

Yet, the quality of the song managed to garner enough hype to balloon the number of Youtube views to a bit over 4 million. When discussing popular Youtube videos with friends I like to refer to videos with over 2 million views as “Lady Gaga numbers”, and Ceelo Green has surpassed this mark with style and ease! But how can a song with no radio rotation and not available for purchase gain this much popularity? And what does this mean from an artistic stand point?

Well the first question is a given–being that this is the age of viral media and stars, that were once ordinary people but catapulted into limelight via their Youtube presence. The second question is vague enough to form your own opinion. In my eyes, the story behind Ceelo’s recent hit only gives more power to the artist. During an era, where the music industry is clawing for any sort of traction to stay afloat, record executives have been extremely picky when selecting which artists’ projects they are willing to invest money into. In other words, if your not selling, your record label probably won’t invest too many resources into your project.

An overall slump in the industry has unfortunately given record executives more control of artists, which I personally believe curtails the creatvity any musical genre is built upon. However, Ceelo’s single is a beacon of light to musical artists and demonstrates that a great song doesn’t really need an extra push from record executives.

This signifies that people still want something new, people still want quality! Ceelo didn’t have to do an apperance on all the usual promo stops (i.e. Letterman, Kimmel, Fallon, Leno, etc), instead his talent trumps ALL.

So just like his song his named, Ceelo’s new single is officially the f*ck you to controlling record executives everywhere!

-Aaron

comment
Posted in New York Notes

When Primetime Prolongs

August 30th, 2010

As we gear up for the Fall television season, viewers are excited to welcome back their favorite characters; as well as looking to become familiar with some of the new characters this season has to offer. However, there are some rather unpleasant changes being made during the Fall line-up, and PUBLIC discusses the downside to ‘extended’ programming…

Since when did network producers completely over estimate our attention spans?  Barely can I sit through a two-hour movie without looking at my watch, and now I’m expected to sit through mediocre programming WITH commercials for that long?  I don’t know who’s in charge here, but where do they get off?

First of all, I blame American Idol.  We all know that’s where this “two-hour programming” started, which, in itself is asinine to say the least.  Really? 12 45-second performances takes two hours to broadcast?  I know we have to watch Seacrest do his little song and dance, and the sponsors need their flashy airtime, but now this trend has spread to almost every network and has recently begun to infuriate me.

Watching the Bachelor, Bachelorette, and now Bachelor Pad for two hours was excruciating, although I had my routine down: cell phone out for discussion purposes, daily crossword for boredom, and fairly strong cocktail to curb my frustration.  But it’s not just the Bachelor and AI.  It’s America’s Got Talent, It’s Hell’s Kitchen, Dancing With the Stars…the list just goes on and on!

However, my problem is this: You’re still giving me only one hour of enjoyable programming.  After factoring in all of the “last week on____, or the “coming up next,” and then THE WORST one- the replaying of what we already just saw before commercial break.  Then factor in the excessive fluff that’s there to just take up time and all you’ve got left is the original hour of programming that once graced our television screens.

So dear network producers, I beg you please.  PLEASE give me back the hour-long show. Please don’t replay what I saw before commercial break (I did JUST watch it, I promise) and puhlease get rid of the DULL, boring, just-there-to take-up-time scenes! I know I’m already wasting my time watching this (usually garbage) two-hour programming, but just don’t make me regret it more than I already do.

-Arielle

comment
Posted in Totes TV

iPad’s Unseen Benefits: Thwarting Illegal Gambling Rings and Embracing a “Larger” Market

August 25th, 2010

So unless you have been sleeping under a rock, you are (A) familiar with the iPad (B) Know someone that suffers from separation anxiety when they don’t have their iPad (C) Or have had the opportunity to use the device first hand. However, not all of the functions are explicit and users are finding more and more creative ways to manipulate the tablet for their own desired use.

So the iPad has a new market to cater to – the jumbo size population. The Japan Sumo Association (JSA) has announced  it will distribute iPads to wrestlers whose fingers are too large to use standard size keys on cell phones. At least now they can finally upgrade from pagers.

What makes this even more hilarious is the JSA is looking to increase communication between the sumo leaders of training stables as a means to crack down on illegal gambling on baseball games. In Japan they are taking this problem very seriously, and giving everyone iPads is obviously the most logical solution. Of course it’s the fat-finger issue that’s facilitating all the illegal gambling in sumo stables. Maybe the SEC should just make everyone download the   Business Ethics Business Guide iPhone app instead of doing a regulatory overhaul.

Just the image of a massive sumo wrestler struggling to press the keys to write an alert email on his blackberry that bets are going down for the Yomiuri vs. Seibu baseball game is beyond comical.

Now news articles are posting consumer complaints that their fingers are too large to type on cell phone keypads. Is the iPad the answer to the Big & Tall population’s telecommunication dilemma? Maybe Apple will come out with the iPhone Nano for the more pint size population.


Maybe they can market it to TLC’s “Little People, Big World”.

Of course, it is more likely the iPad’s suitability for those with plus-size digits is a happy coincidence that may truly help a lot of frustrated texters out there. And don’t get me wrong, I have tiny fingers and still have trouble punching the right keys on an iPhone or Blackberry. But, I have to think – when rotary dials came out did people complain when their fingers were too robust to squeeze into the digit hole?

-Amelia

comment
Posted in Misc., PUBLIC bits & pieces

Zen. Boitano. Sexuality.

August 23rd, 2010

You have seen him doing triple axles at the Olympics, winning 3 world championships, and being made fun of on South Park, but Brian Boitano remains a mysterious figure. While we all know the man can skate his way to a gold, the American born figure skater still has question marks regarding his sexuality…PUBLIC examines the mystery that is Brian Boitano!!

Via Google, I’m having a tough time confirming whether or not Brian Boitano is gay.  This is weird, right?

The more I think about it, too, the more my mind gets twisted in knots.  My thoughts grow clumsy with the weight of a hundred contradictory statements:

“If that man is not gay, I don’t know what gay IS.” – vs – “It’s always possible that he’s straight, like that guy from my college dance group who’s happily married to a nice lady.”

“Shame on him and The Food Network for not taking a stronger stance in support of his sexual preference.” – vs – “A TV personality doesn’t need to be a rights advocate too.”

“Skating has always seemed pretty homophobic.” – vs – “Skating has always seemed SO homosexual.”

“Even if he is gay, it’s not my right to know details of his personal life.” – vs – “Keeping his homosexuality a secret is a clear sign to others that he feels it’s something bad which must be hidden.”

“I still don’t know if he’s gay.” – vs – “How can he NOT be gay?”

Frankly I feel as if life has handed me a queer-politics-meets-pop-culture koan.  Koans (to the extent that I understand them) are devices used in meditation designed to lift one’s consciousness.  They can be phrases, questions, or concepts, and don’t demand a linear cause-and-effect answer.  One example might be “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

What makes this Brian Boitano situation so like a koan for me is that each reaction I have to it is negated by a doubt, and thus I’m having real trouble sorting out how I really feel.

Should Brian Boitano be comfortable talking about his homosexuality to the media?
Yes, but only if he is in fact gay.
Should a celebrity be held to different standards of self-disclosure when they are gay as opposed to when they are straight?
No, but they are anyway, whether for good or bad.
Is there really anything wrong with this situation?
No, but yet I still feel confused and betrayed!

Maybe at the center of this wormhole of thought is the truth about queer media relations, but since nothing in media is anything remotely approaching truth, I’d imagine that looking at this single question is like trying to examine a single amoeba at a microscope whose view is controlled by millions of people simultaneously.

Still, it is weird, right?

-Topher

comment
Posted in Misc., Satire

It’s time to play “Tip of the Hat, Wag of the Finger” [Sorry Mr. Colbert, We had to do it]

August 16th, 2010

To those who don’t watch the Colbert Report, this game may be something new. But if you’re part of the Colbert Nation, you should be familiar with this popular segment by now! Here is PUBLIC’s version of “Tip of the Hat, Wag of the Finger”—enjoy!!

Tip of the Hat: HBO Hard Knocks


Now entering its 10th season, the highly acclaimed HBO sports series is back again–this time with the NY Jets. Although, I despise the Jets; one cannot take away from the ever charming rants of Head Coach Rex Ryan, and the colorful cast of personalities that layer the locker room of the NY Jets. The show’s uncensored access it offers audiences is unmatched by any football program and essentially invites viewers into the long days of their favorite NFL training camps.

Wag of the Finger: Ben Stiller

On Saturday, I spent a relaxing evening indoors and elected to treat myself to a pay-per-view movie–and unfortunately selected ‘Greenberg’. After viewing the preview, I was expecting a deep themed, and carefully constructed script to bring Stiller’s rare indie performance to the next level. Instead, I was ambushed by a long winded, witless, romantic comedy hybrid; that left me feeling like I wasted a good portion of my evening waiting…and waiting…and waiting. The movie dragged on forever, and instead of delving into the psyche of our lovable Greenberg, it proceeds by being dry and insanely anti-climatic. Every time the viewer is set to hear the movie’s real conflict, the writers steer away or dismiss the issue; leaving the main point of conflict the health of his brother’s ill dog. Ben Stiller, I’m a big fan; but I want my money back for this one!

Tip of the Hat: Twitter Movie Spoof

While the buzz surrounding Oliver Stone’s Facebook inspired movie; in this day and age, it is only a matter of time before a spoof on youtube surfaces. While many spoofs are ‘hit or miss’, this spoof is a direct hit! The viral video manages to stick to the flow of it’s original preview, while not using any over the top humor. The clip is stuffed to the gills with witty and creative one-liners; taking aim at Stone’s movie idea as well as Twitter in general. This video is a definite must see, as the release date of this film nears!

Wag of the Finger: Stevie Slater

I call you Stevie, because I feel like I know you personally after you soaked up more media coverage than Lohan, Tiger, and Mel Gibson combined! This is the 3rd straight blog post Mr. Slater has appeared in for PUBLIC, and I’m finally hear to burst his bubble. Late last week, stories surfaced that Slater has had numerous issues he had been struggling with over the last few months and that this flight was his breaking point. However, while I don’t applaud the actions of the woman, reports have said that Slater was obviously disturbed hours before the altercation. Personally, that takes away from the overall ‘cool factor’ of the story. No one likes bad service, and if you’re having a bad day their are better ways to deal with your anger than making snooty comments while you complete the flight’s beverage service. Though issues in his personal life have him in a state of emotional distress; Slater’s consistent rudeness and his lack of spontaneous hostility towards a rude passenger kills the story for me. Now my feelings reflect a popular tweeters when he says, “ Hey Steven Slater, shut the @#$% up and bring me my coffee”.

Tip of the Hat: Entourage

The entire office knows that Entourage is one of my favorite shows of all time, and as of late the office discussion has been reserved to criticize HBO’s hit show and  poke fun at the diminishing entertainment value. Well consider that discussion topic OLD NEWS; this past Sunday Entourage came roaring back with more interesting story lines than fans can handle. Billie is back and has found peace with himself, Amanda is still a wench, Vince channels his inner Lindsay Lohan, Turtle is hustling tequilla, Drama is dying for a new hit show, and Ari’s reputation in Hollywood is deteriorating; I mean what is not to like? Those who previously thought the show was going down the tubes, should tune in ASAP–because the boys are finally back!!

Wag of the Finger: Dr. Laura

I will try to keep my opinion of Dr. Laura’s rant concise, let me first address the obvious. Was it really necessary to use the N-word, 11 times in one interview? The short answer is no. But is anyone else disturbed how easily that word rolled off the tip of her tongue? When I replay the tape, Dr. Laura almost seems like she is starved for anything to keep her relevant. She even comes to the conclusion that if interracial couples marry, they should expect and accept racial jokes that will be made at their expense. Are you telling me someone with a P.h.d logically came to that conclusion? Anyway, I digress. My real issue comes with her attempt to make a ‘philosophical point’ that many have failed miserably in doing so in the past. While she struggled to grasp HBO comedy specials starring African Americans as her primary reference basically claiming that they say it, so why can’t I? Well here is my question, why do you feel so passionately about the n-word being taboo for races outside of the black community? Is it relevant why some black comedians insist on using the word, or does the constant usage by black comedians in a comedic context take away some of the harshness of the word’s origin? The short answer is no. For such an educated person you truly are a moron and should make reference to a preschool rule we have ALL heard before: a few wrongs, don’t make it right!

-Aaron

comment
Posted in New York Notes

Hide ya kids, Hide ya wife, and Hide ya husbands- ‘cause we got a lotta media sensations up in here.

August 13th, 2010

From Tilla Tequilla to Chocolate Rain, media born sensations seem to happen on a weekly basis. With 24 hour cable news cycles and the growing popularity of social media, a new genre of celebrity has been introduced into the mainstream. The phrase, “don’t taze me bro”, is now a household saying, while the natural phenomenom known as a ‘double rainbow’ almost guarantees a chuckle amongst a group of friends. PUBLIC explores the latest group of overnight celebrities.

For those of you who have been living under a rock and may not know who Antoine Dodson is- he is the charismatic gentleman who debuted in a local news report turned YouTube sensation turned popular auto-tune song.  Antoine’s colorful explanation as to what happened that one fateful day when his sister was attacked and almost raped has caught the attention of so many that Antoine now has his own song, T-shirt line and most recently- an online fund to “get out of the projects.”

In today’s “real-time” news society it’s not surprising at all that Antoine has become so popular.  The star of that local newscast that debuted in late July has now become a full-fledged media sensation.  Unfortunately for Antoine Dodson, his 15 minutes may be up, and he has Steven Slater to thank for that.

Steven Slater is the newest media sensation to hit the blogosphere, twitter-verse, and news-cycle.  Slater, as you may know, is the JetBlue flight attendant who gained attention after his dramatic exit from work this past Monday.  After a rude passenger allegedly verbally abused Slater and hit him in the head with the overhead compartment bin, the flight attendant dropped some F-bombs over the plane’s PA system, grabbed some beers and hit the emergency exit.

The story, which broke on Monday, has spread like wildfire- it’s been covered by every news outlet and of course the late night comics have weighed in on the fun as well.  Slater, like Dodson even now has his own T-shirt line and Facebook fan page.   Even before Dodson and Slater stole the scene, the media sensation known as “the Barefoot Bandit” had his very own Facebook fan club, media blitz and I’m sure some T-shirts were made at some point during his 15 minutes.

Fleeting media sensations aren’t anything new to our media obsessed culture, but my question is this: what really makes a media sensation?  In our ADD culture, we want and get everything immediately, then dispose it once we’re bored.  What did Antoine Dodson and Steven Slate have that gave them staying power?

If you ask me, I’d have to say it was their gregarious personalities- the fact that they were just being themselves, unrehearsed, and unhinged.   Our society loves those individuals who are a little different, a little out there, but mostly those are just being themselves.

This could possibly explain the phenomenon that is Jersey Shore, and the downfall of Jake Pavelka.  The former relished in their outlandish personalities and made no excuses for their honest behavior, while the latter became a calculated phony- we already HAVE actors Jake, we don’t need any more.

-Arielle

comment
Posted in New York Notes

Proud to be an American? Consumer behavior today.

August 10th, 2010

At PUBLIC, we tend to have a strange affection for our fellow man behaving badly. Just when you think you have heard the the most absurd story about consumer behavior, an even crazier story tends to surface. Below is the most recent case of consumers behaving badly, and proof that the costumer is not always right!

Two top stories circulating national and international news today are reinforcing the idea that the American consumer is a complete ass that lacks any semblance of common decency or civility.

The first tells of the flight attendant who dramatically resigned after a passenger hurled verbal abuse at him after the passenger was told to wait until the plane reached the gate to retrieve his luggage from the overhead compartment.

The next shows footage of a fast-food drive-thru patron who becomes violently enraged after learning she could not order chicken nuggets at 6am because only breakfast was being served.

Sure, some people are legitimately crazy, cracked out, or drunk. Others though are complete and utter jerks who have taken the saying “the customer is always right” to mean “you have to give me whatever I want right now, while I am entitled to treat you like a piece of crap and have absurd tantrums if I so please”.

So who, or what, is to blame for this regression in social evolution? There are those who point the finger at parenting – if you allow them to act like brats, they will always be brats.

Or is it customer service commercials showing companies going to extreme lengths to meet the demands of the consumer? Now I’m all for great customer service and always appreciate when someone goes out of their way to help me out. But, I think more commercials should highlight patient and helpful staff, while also serving to admonish consumer bad behavior. The “look at the shit we put up with and keep on smiling”, commercial.

Sure, Burger King started going down this path with their Whopper removal freak out commercials, but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.

I think more companies should begin utilizing their CCTV security cameras and absurd stories from their managers and employees to reflect their excellent customer service during verbal and physical assault.

Like this video, where a lady trashes a McDonalds because she is unhappy with her burger:

Or what this Dell Service rep has to deal with:

Now let’s circle back to the story about the JetBlue attendant. I’m happy JetBlue gave the guy a 20 minute head start before calling the cops after he inflated the emergency slide to exit the plane. They know what their staff goes through everyday dealing with customers – it’s enough to make anyone snap.

-Amelia

comment
Posted in Misc.

More Reality Shows Prove Straight People Still Crazy

August 6th, 2010

Dating shows have been a staple of America’s finest art form since the television was invented. From the ‘Newlywed Show’ to the ‘Love Connection’, our obsession with on air romance has stood the test of time throughout numerous generations. However, the format of these shows have drastically adjusted their appearance since the wholesome days of the “Dating Show”; just check in with Tilla Tequilla or The Flavor of Love to see the evolution of the dating show. But what is on the horizon for this guilty pleasure for this upcoming season? PUBLIC reviews exactly what is in store for reality fans this fall!!

Starting August 9th, my Monday evenings are spoken for.  ABC must have heard how incensed I am over  what they did to Tuesdays, and decided to atone – the Alphabet Net is bringing back  Dating In The Dark for an encore season and straddling it nice and cozy next to the newest skank on the block  The Bachelor Pad.  Soon having a “case of the Mondays” will refer to getting a heaping helping of single-life-schadenfreude.

The Bachelor Pad intrigues me.  From the outside, it seems like any other lazy twist on a reunion special.  A dash of Big Brother, a dash of The Bachelor(ette), a slight touch of MTV’s Inferno, and you’re ready to go.  But with the  insanity surrounding Jake Pavelka’s pronounced spotlightophilia, I think ABC’s ready to kick up the dating game smut level.  We might not be treated to anything a lurid as A Shot at Love, with Tila Tequila but frankly I’m not even sure what regularly occured on that show was legal, much less worth repeating.

What really surprises me about The Bachelor Pad is that ABC is finally letting the Bachelor series down off the pedestal.  Until now there was a required suspension of disbelief involved with The Bachelor(ette) shows – you as the viewer were asked to imagine that no one on the show had sex with each other, no one got drunk, everyone was seeking to find true love, and one happy couple found it.  Even as the seasons started to add up and the proven track record of the show (in terms of creating happy marriages) got worse and worse, ABC still asked you to believe.

No longer!  Now rejects from the shows’ long history will compete (shirtless!) against each other for “a second chance at love” and also for TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.  The gloves are off, romance is dead, and ABC’s looking to cash in.  Rumors are that  Jake and Ali wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Dating in the Dark, on the other hand, is an old-school reality dating show at heart.  Its simple premise (people go on dates in the dark, pick their partner, and then get to see them in full light before deciding whether to go through with a real life date) and broad array of contestants (hunky, buck-toothed, the whole spectrum!) make me think of those golden old dating shows that got me hooked on the genre in the first place – 5th Wheel and  Blind Date.

The pleasure of the show lies in the genuinely interesting question it attempts to answer (do looks matter?), and in the relative everydayness of the contestants.  I think it’s pretty healthy to see average looking people get lucky on TV.  Now if we can only get Therapist Joe to do a cameo…

So get ready to see straight people – hot, homely, crazy, whorish, deluded straight people – do their best and worst to each other every Monday night.  Or you could just go to a gay club and watch the same stuff go down for real.

-Topher

comment
Posted in New York Notes

From the Streets to the Tweets

August 4th, 2010

On August 3rd, rapper Wale released his follow-up to his crtically acclaimed mixtape “The Mixtape About Nothing”. However, most didn’t anticipate how popular the actual release would be, and Twitter should take a significant amount of credit for More About Nothing’s release day success.

As an avid user of social media, I have never been one to have the ‘too cool for school’ attitude regarding social networking. However, as far as utilizing it as an avenue for direct marketing has always made sense to me, but personally I found such tactics painfully annoying–until yesterday.

Wale, a Washington DC native and ‘Twitter happy’ rapper, released a free album for his fans yesterday at noon. As a fan of Wale, I have been paying fairly close to attention to the process and was fascinated by the way in which he created buzz surrounding the album. Yesterday the DC emcee enjoyed more than 100,000 downloads via a single site, and even more via other sites. Although many others have been successful at utilizing social media as a marketing tool, this was the first time I was captivated by the entire process. Below is a timeline of events that led up the release of Wale’s mixtape, “More About Nothing”:

  • First, Wale mysteriously disappeared from the Twitter scene for weeks and came back to announce that he will being sharing his reasoning behind his disappearance to his followers in the upcoming days.
  • Days later Wale posts a link on his Twitter account to this youtube video: 
  • After being hammered with questions from fans awaiting the highly awaited sequel to his class mixtape ‘The Mixtape About Nothing’, he gets the nod from his label to release the single,“Black and Gold”.
  • A week or so later, Wale and Kid Cudi team up for a Heineken promotional show in Soho, New  York City.
  • Wale claimed he would be dropping the mixtape at noon on August 3rd, but before noon  “More About Nothing” was trending worldwide via Twitter, the hip hop community buzzed about the overdue return of DC’s most celebrated hip hop act.
  • The mixtape is released at noon via Twitter and a variety of music blogs. Many links experience problems as a result of the traffic.
  • Late yesterday afternoon “More About Nothing’ surpasses Christopher Nolan’s Inception on the worldwide twitter trending feed.

Social media has become a vehicle for getting the word out for anything. Wale had an established following prior to this sequence of events, but the way the buzz was generated through trending topics and timelines worldwide demonstrates how truly remarkable the social media world really is. Is the future of direct marketing already upon us?

-Aaron

comment
Posted in Misc.
« Older Entries