Harvard Innovation Lab: Harvard University (ever heard of it?) recently launched an innovation lab – so, I guess the payoff for this entry was really in the introduction. Anyway, it is interesting and you should read about it!
Hey Girl: If you saw Drive, our favorite movie of the year, you know El Gosling’s metallic, quilted, scorpion-emblazoned jacket plays a big part in the film. So we love that NY Magazine’s Vulture is giving a few of them away to promote the release of the DVD.
Ben and Amy Are Subtle: We love that this save-the-date traded a little bit of schmaltz in favor of a ridiculous Easter egg hidden in the background of their photo – a reward for their eagle-eyed guests.
Instant Movie Mashup Generator: We love this interactive digital media installation; Algorithmic Search for Love searches a phrase-of-your-choice in over 500 movies and then creates a mashup of the clips that phrase is in (via @roblongert).
Video Mixer: Claiming to be the “lowest-tech accessory” for the iPhone 4 is the Love Box which mixes simultaneous front and back views from the phone’s camera into one single video shot.
Muse Barbies: Artist Jocelyne Grivaudis altered images of her favorite artist’s muses by replacing them with her own, Barbie. Take a look at them here.
Pinterest, the newest darling of social media, is no secret to individuals with a passion for home decorating, recipes, fashion, and more. We wrote about it back in September, as many of our bloggers were embracing the platform for personal use. With its recent explosion in unique monthly visitors, we now know that Pinterest has valuable legs for consumer and brand engagement.
In exploring branded content on Pinterest, it is clear that some brands are rocking it, while others either aren’t suited for the platform and its demographic, or have yet to develop clear intention and personality. If I were recommending Pinterest to a brand, here are some of the ”best practices” that I would suggest following:
1. Create a personality beyond your product.
Brands that are highly engaging are brands that go beyond repurposing online content for Pinterest. A brand’s boards shouldn’t read like pages out of a catalog or magazine. Jack Rogers reflects some of the brands personality traits in boards like {america, the beautiful}, {nautical but nice}, and {just jacqueline} (as inspired by Jackie O).
2. Organize content for different types of consumers.
One of the differentiating qualities of Pinterest over other social platforms is the consumer’s ability to pick and choose which boards to follow. By organizing content with consumers in mind, brands have the ability to target niche audiences. Real Simple has created boards for family, weddings, and books, among many others - and followers have the option to view just the content that appeals to them.
3. Pin fan content.
Pinterest allows two-way communication between brands and consumers. Lilly Pulitzer, an early adopter of the platform, repins brand-inspired images on their Creative Lilly Lovers board, encouraging followers to share their own creations.
4. Offer insights on your products.
DIY and recipes find success on Pinterest by using an image to pique interest and encourage click-through to instructions and more information. Brands like Whole Foods Markets create an experience for followers by posting images of recipes to make using their foods, while still organizing the content in a visually appealing manner.
As Pinterest evolves and grows, it will be interesting to see how brands maintain active boards and create new and interesting content. Are you on Pinterest? What are your personal best practices?
Crack a Smile: Refuse to join a social network because you don’t have any pictures you like of yourself? Internet service provider, Fibertel thinks everyone should be taking advantage of their virtual freedom, no matter how they look in pictures — so they are offering a professional photographer to the un-photogenic so those people can join a social network.
Pocket Factory: Alex and Bilal are traveling the country in their Prius which has a 3D printer in its trunk! The duo is designing and selling the products as they drive.
Warby 2011: M Boother glasses-of-choice, Warby Parker, released a “year in review” and they visually represent what’s happened in their company over the past twelve months – take a look here. (via Chris C.)
Lost & Found: Before I leave my apartment, I check to see if I have three things: keys, wallet and phone. Most times, I run around my apartment to find one or the other. Life would be a lot easier if I had Bikn – an RF-enabled iPhone case, tags and app that all work together to find lost objects. Find out how here.
Future of Snowboarding: Offering an alternative to snowboarding is Dual Snowboards – instead of the snowboard we are used to, the company makes two short boards, one for each foot, allowing the wearer to move their legs independently.
The Hunger Games Tumblr: The people behind The Hunger Games movie launched a blog focusing on fashion and what those in Capitol might be wearing.
Future Viewing: We are not sure if this will give us a headache or not, but regardless it is cool: At CES, Technicolor demonstrated “Personalized Content Rendering” – a new device that will incorporate six different camera angles at a stadium and will track the movement of your eyes to allow you to control what you see.
You’re My Best Friend: For his thesis Colin Pinegar created a visual representation of his on-line relationships. He asked himself questions about his Facebook friends, like, “do I know this person’s phone number” and “can I recognize this person by only their name?” He then gave each friend a rating, made a small wax bust for each and plotted it on a color spectrum. Check it out here.
Did you know it’s Community Manager Appreciation Day? Started in 2012 by Jeremiah Owyang, it’s a time to appreciate the work community managers do for their community, often acting as consumer advocates and working long hours to ensure that every member of the community’s voice is heard. In celebration, SocialFresh created an infographic and the 2012 Community Manager Report to showcase the work community managers do:
As a community manager, I am very excited to see this relatively new role being recognized as an extension of the company and vital to shaping the brand’s identity. Community managers are the voice of the brand and often have to wear many different hats, from customer service rep to becoming an expert on the company’s latest promotions. It’s a 24/7 responsibility.
Are you a community manager? What do you think are the biggest challenges and rewards of this role?
Neighborhood Improvements: Like Kickstarter, Lucky Ant aims to provide funding to neighborhood spots for improvements – examples of projects featured on the site are: sponsoring the construction of an outdoor patio for your usual café to helping a local high school build a student-run restaurant.
Match Made in iTunes: You and your boyfriend do not have the same taste in music — you love Katy Perry and he (still) loves KORN. Is that a sign that your relationship is headed for Doomsville? Maybe you should both download ChuChu Tunean – an app that assesses a couples’ compatibility by comparing the individual’s playlists.
Tree Music: This turntable interprets the rings in a slice of tree as music – check it out here!
Cupcakegate: Last month TSA agents confiscated a “cupcake in a jar” because it had over three ounces of gel. Piggybacking off this, Silver Spoon Bakery in Rhode Island created a travel-friendly cupcake – exactly three ounces of frosting sold in a clear plastic bag and comes with a fake boarding pass. (via @alicia)
What Your Donation Does: Ogilvy created this outdoor ad for charity that, in a way, allows donators to see the immediate effects of their donation. They created a large scratch-off image of a child and his surrounding environment — when you donate, you can scratch off a box, ultimately forming a whole new image of a happier, healthier child.
And The Password Is…: The Opera Tavern in London has been announcing a monthly secret menu item and password to its followers in effort to create value for their Twitter community.
In the social media world, the new kid in town is Pinterest. What started as a little-known platform for sharing images back in 2008 has exploded over the past few months and now receives over 4 million unique visitors a month. It has come to attract the attention of major brands and media outlets such as Whole Foods, Mashable, and Real Simple who are eager to reach customers in a new and creative way. If you manage a brand and are considering jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon, here are a couple articles worth reading:
I’m personally very new to the platform, but see the benefits to both brands and consumers. Recently thrust into wedding planning process and having no idea where to start, I’ve found the wedding boards to be a low-stress way to see different options for themes, dresses, and centerpieces and connect with experts. I’d likely be more receptive to interacting with a wedding brand who showcases their products to me through Pinterest likes, comments and repins rather than the email spam and constant follow up calls I’ve been receiving since attending a bridal show. Just sayin’.
Tell us - what benefits do you see with using Pinterest for both brands and consumers?
Neighborhood Improvements:
