“Watching” the Emmy Awards via Twitter

Last night, Jimmy Fallon hosted the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards.  Despite consuming lots of online and traditional media each day, the only reason I remembered this was because of Twitter (UberTwitter, to be exact). Normally, I’m not one for award shows of any kind.  But after seeing that my entire Twitter feed was Emmy-related, I thought I’d turn it on for a few minutes. And I literally mean a few minutes.  

Despite not liking award shows, I still like to be in-the-know about the winners, who wore what and any awkward happenings like the special “moment” that Taylor Swift and Kanye West shared at the 2009 VMAs. So thanks to social media, I was able to check my Twitter feed throughout the night to see who won. Twitter was the only reason I felt ready to discuss the winners this morning, when in fact my television was on for less than five minutes. 

En route to work today, someone commented on how glad they were that Modern Family won and I was quick to agree, since I enjoyed reading numerous tweets about their big win last night.  (Important note: If you do not watch Modern Family, I’m not sure if we can be friends.  It is by far the funniest show on TV and quickly knocked The Office out of my favorite TV show slot. Sorry Michael Scott!)

NBC wisely played up social media by encouraging people to check out the live-stream behind the scenes videos and tweet to the host, who announced some of the presenters via viewer’s tweets. Since I missed pre-event coverage (the one part of award shows that I sometimes watch), Yfrog also came in very handy.  They had a page dedicated to photos from the Emmys, so I still got to see some dapper suits and designer dresses, though I never actually saw celebrities stroll down the red carpet. 

Social media was a good fit for the show last night, since the host himself is no stranger to it – Jimmy Fallon sometimes uses Twitter during his show to engage audience members and viewers at home.  The Hollywood Reporter has said that the early numbers are too close to call but regardless of the official ratings, I think NBC can call the Emmy Awards a success. 

Did you watch last night or follow along through social media?  And now that we’ve chatted about social media, can we please discuss the dress on January Jones?  

- Lauren A 

Guy with Kindle: Publishing Revisited

On the train this morning, in the midst of straphangers wearing Dr. Dre-issued helmets for warriors of the digital age, there was one standout: guy with Kindle. Since attending Wharton’s Future of Publishing Conference (an M Booth client) earlier this year, the state of publishing has been on my mind and specifically, the wonderfully portable devices that have arrived to save the trees.

Just this month, AT&T Inc.’s emerging devices president, Glenn Lurie, who oversees the carrier’s relationship with Apple Inc., said we’re “going to see those 10-inch pieces of glass become full-on computers.” As a Gen Y-er, I ask myself, what about now? Sure, five years down the road sounds like a hop and skip for anyone not on Twitter, but I’m concerned with what’s available now: iPad and other tablet/e-readers.

Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal reported on a study that found 40% of e-reader owners said they read more now than they did with print books. Collectively, the American Federation of Teachers and parents everywhere sighed en masse. So now that they’ve been hailed as the salvation (sort of) of America’s educational quicksand, I think that above all, creative content will lead to greater adoption and ultimately a legion of device-carrying consumers.

It’s important to note that these devices have the potential to serve as a platform for all types of media, from newspapers to books to magazines. Having said that, it’s true that simply loading textbooks and existing content onto these devices is a good start, but why not re-conceptualize how we think about books and content? From the author to the publisher, the content should be thought of as interactive.

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word. daily. (august 26, 2010)

Hello There, Wall: Non-profit organization Wasted Spaces takes vacant properties and spaces and turns them into “art experiences.” Most recently, they took over a building in London to create an interactive installation where the public can use Twitter to control the wall. A person tweets at @thehellowall a shape, color and command, and the wall obeys.

Luxurious Potties: Thought peeing in public only happened at college campuses and the Jersey Shore? Well, you’d be mistaken. Public urination has been a problem in New Delhi, so officials have installed luxury toilets in hopes of tackling it.

Google Phone Booths: Recently becoming open to all users, Google Voice has taken a more physical form – a phone booth. Google wants to show people how GV’s voice quality compares to other services and will be rolling out a British red phone booth (complete with rotary phone) to several universities and airports in the new few weeks. Oh, and calls within the U.S. and Canada are free. Take a sneak peek inside the booth here.

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—Lauren M.

Introducing Tweetons

Somewhere in the Twitterverse, at this very moment, there’s a marketing or communications executive plotting a campaign to encourage consumers to tweet about their brand for a chance to win a trip…or a new accessory…or some device that promises to make life worth living. Exhibit A: enter this contest to win a new camera from photographer Scott Bourne.

Twitter contests and reward offers are becoming more commonplace as more companies notice how quickly consumer engagement impacts the volume of online buzz about their products and services. Planning these types of Twitter campaigns can be a logistical headache, especially for professionals who are new to the social media space.

Not so when you use Tweetons. The tool helps brands track their most passionate fans and reward them. Translation – among other services, it can help you plan, execute and select the winner of your next Twitter contest.

Almost five years ago, three savvy San Franciscan tech gurus took note of the increasing number of Twitter contests and brands promising coupons and special prizes to new followers. They created Tweetons and hundreds of  businesses, from local restaurants to major consumer brands, have since used the service to reward their brand loyalists on Twitter. One of the great things about Tweetons is the fact that it’s new, so it just keeps getting better. The support staff is hungry for client feedback and want to realize Tweetons’ full potential, so they’re willing to tweak certain features and add new functions to suit your campaign.

The best thing about Tweetons is that it’s free (marketers, rejoice!) so there’s minimal risk involved. It’s definitely worth a try.

-Andréa S.

word. daily. (august 17, 2010)

Twitter Quest for a Job: We’ve seen some pretty interesting job-getting tactics the past few months, and this one is no exception. Mark Trueblood (apparently, his real last name), an unemployed copywriter, is using a “choose your own adventure” set of tweets to send people to his website.

You’re a Good (Lookin’) Man, Charlie Brown: To celebrate their 60^th anniversary, the Peanuts cartoon gang has teamed up with Lacoste (almost as unusual as that Lilly Pulitzer/Barnum Animal Crackers collab in May). Debuting this fall, the pair will release a shirt that features the polo maker’s famed alligator somehow interacting with Charlie Brown and his crew. No word on whether or not Brown will to pop his collar. (via word. Secretary of State @roblongert)

Unsuck It: Ever wish Google Translate could take those ridiculous buzzwords your boss used in your meeting this morning and put them into layman’s terms? Check out this new tool that takes industry jargon and translates it into plain ole English.

Click here to let us know that you’d like to be added to the mailing list for the monthly edition of “word.”

—Lauren M.

MTV Announces New Twitter Jockey

Today, MTV announced the launch of their first-ever Twitter jockey (TJ). The month-long pursuit to find the ultimate Twitter voice and liaison of the network culminated yesterday with the 23-year-old plus-size fashion blogger, Gabi Gregg, coming out on top. Gregg unofficially starts her new gig today and already has been tweeting up a storm via her new Twitter handle, @mtvtj. According to Mashable, Gregg will move to New York and officially start her new position next week, while collecting a cool $100,000 a year to pump out 140-word tweets all day!

Will you follow @mtvtj to get the insider scoop from award shows to the latest news from the network? Check out Gregg’s winning moment in the clip here.

- Danielle

word. daily. (august 10, 2010)

What’s Your Flavor?: University of Tokyo researchers have brought their augmented reality “A” game with the “meta cookie” – they created a plain, tasteless cookie that can flavor-shift thanks to a headset that modifies perception by using image overlays and scents. 

Liquid Ink: Seen as one of the coolest inventions of all time, Sharpie will be introducing the Liquid Pencil this fall. The pencil/pen combo will have graphite “ink” that allows young Dickenses to erase at will for a three day period; after that, anything written will be permanent.  

Follow Me: Michael Krivicka, @whoisthebaldguy, really wants Jimmy Fallon to follow him on Twitter – the NYC resident posted a video full of reasons why Fallon should follow him, one being that he tweets about The Naked Cowboy (and who doesn’t want to miss those TwitPics?).

Textile Taxidermy: Take a look at this hunting jacket that can be transformed into a lined coat, a lighter-weight quilted jacket, a fitted city windbreaker, and a ram’s head to mount on your wall. Yup, bet you didn’t see that coming!

Click here to let us know that you’d like to be added to the mailing list for the monthly edition of “word.”

—Lauren

word. daily. (august 6, 2010)

Operation Beautiful: Because we can’t get enough of Post-it-related things, we bring you Operation Beautiful. Blogger Caitlin Boyle was sick and tired of seeing women tearing themselves apart over how they look, so she started leaving sticky notes in public places with empowering message like “Confidence is beautiful,” and “Stop judging yourself – you are beautiful!” and it’s caught on all over the globe. (via @rachelpancoe)

Tweet Currency?: Marketing agency Innovate Thunder released an e-book and it’s free – if you tweet for it. This “Pay with a Tweet” deal allows users to get a book out of the deal ($15 on Amazon) and the agency to get a ton of mouse clicks.

Carrier Bags: Designer Jamie Wieck from the U.K. gave the transparent bag a makeover – her redesign includes a face and hands to look as if they are coddling the purchase.

Click here to let us know that you’d like to be added to the mailing list for the monthly edition of “word.”

—Lauren

word. daily. (august 4, 2010)

#Itsaprocess: Kayne West joined Twitter last week – and his tweets are actually somewhat entertaining (“I jog in Lanvin,” and “Don’t you hate when girls send you a picture of … anything other themselves!!!” are favorites). Other people think so too, and decided to illustrate Mr. Ye’s tweets as New Yorker cartoons – take a look here.

Here Comes the Sun: If you’re crossing Abbey Road, you’re most likely mimicking the Beatles. And now, the Abbey Road webcam is there to capture it all – check out the live feed here.

Oh, The Possibilities: The folks over at Macworld are too cool for school – they have shot their most recent magazine cover with the iPhone 4 and only edited it using apps.

Look at Me: Taking publicity into her own hands, novelist Jennifer Belle hired actresses to read her newest book, The Seven Year Bitch, on the subway and at famous NYC landmarks. The ladies infectiously laughed while turning each page, garnering attention of passersby.

Click here to let us know that you’d like to be added to the mailing list for the monthly edition of “word.”

—Lauren

What Moms Like to See from Companies That Tweet

A recent study surveyed over 500 moms about what they like and don’t like about brands that tweet, and the results are great to keep in mind when thinking about Twitter best practices. As all effective social media communicators know, brands that are on Twitter must use the platform as a way to add value to followers rather than simply pushing out brand messaging.

For many moms, this value can take the form of interesting links, sales or coupons, updates on new products and even tweets that just make them laugh. In social media as in life, humor can be an extremely effective method of attracting and engaging people. Brands shouldn’t be afraid to get a little clever. In fact, a cheeky tweet from @JetBlue to a customer last year became a huge viral hit around the Internet and even got a mention in The New York Times.

—Alyssa

word. daily. (may 14, 2010)

App Localizer: Apple has filed an application for a newly-published patent that involves temporary location-based apps. An example: Upon walking into a restaurant, temp icons specific to that establishment would pop up on your iPhone, telling you the “Wait Time” and asking you to “Place Order.”

My Ex-Wife’s Wedding Dress: When “man and wife” became just “man,” he didn’t know what to do with his time. His ex-wife took virtually everything (including the kids) but the one thing she left was her wedding dress. In an attempt to fill the void, he created this blog – My Ex-Wife’s Wedding Dress – and is documenting all the different uses for one, including Grill Cover and Dental Floss.

Twitter to the Rescue: A man in Japan tweeted that he needed toilet paper and 20 minutes later, he got some. That’s a long time but still, Internet: 2, Humans: 0.

Click here to let us know that you’d like to be added to the mailing list for the monthly edition of “word.”

—Andrew

Twitter to Launch Embeddable Tweets?

(image via corporate-eye.com)

Big news from the Twitterverse, Twittisphere, (or whatever people are calling it these days). Today the Twitter media team blogged that they will most likely launch an embeddable tweets feature tomorrow.

What does this all mean?  Well, now instead of tediously taking screen shots of tweets to post on blogs and websites, you’ll be able to easily copy and paste the  embeddable code to capture the visual perfectly.

It may not be groundbreaking, but it’s definitely helpful!

-Maria

How Tweet It Is!: Library Acquires Entire Twitter Archive

[Full disclosure: i took the title right off their blog post because, let’s be honest, I wasn’t going to come up with a punnier one.]

The Library of Congress, already the largest library in the world, is about to add to its ginormous collection with its acquisition of the entire Twitter Archive. Every single tweet since the start of Twitter back in March 2006 will be digitally archived.

50 million tweets a day x 365 days in a year x (4 years + 1 month) = a whole lotta tweets!

This may be a brilliant move on their part, as it’s becoming increasingly evident that important parts of our history may no longer be found only on front pages of newspapers or via radio broadcasts (say what?), and tweets can reach a mass (global) audience with only 140 characters. We’d be remiss in not capturing these for posterity, too. It’s a new world, as I say when I complain about kids these days and their newfangled trends.

Just a few examples of important tweets in the past few years include the first-ever tweet from Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, President Obama’s tweet about winning the 2008 election and, more importantly, this gem of a tweet from yours truly about achieving that perfect hair pouf courtesy of BumpIts. 

More details and the ramifications of this decision (both positive and negative, as I’m sure there will be naysayers who oppose this) should come out shortly.

(My main concern: What will the omnipresent “Justin Bieber” trending topic reflect about our society to future generations? One shudders at the thought.)

-Kelly