The Word on WOM

Is Yours Black? Or Maybe Nude??

Gabriela Zapata — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:06:27 -0400

Today mine is beige and if you look on thousands of Facebook status updates you'll find out what color theirs is too.... I'm talking about bra colors of course. I know, I know it sounds a little perverted, but I promise it’s for a good cause.

If you're like me and have been wondering what all these random colors stated on Facebook mean, let me clear things up for you. To help raise awareness for breast cancer, people are spreading the word by updating their status with the color of their bra. This has quickly become a Facebook craze and at first may be a little confusing. But, now that you are in the know, join in. So I guess the only question left is, what color is yours??

Celebs Getting Paid $20,000 to Tweet??

Madison Christiansen — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:36:53 -0400

Yes, that's right ladies and gents...according to PopEater some celebs including Britney Spears and P. Diddy are getting paid upwards of $20,000 PER TWEET!!

As a company who uses social media daily to not only promote our business but our clients as well, does this really come as a shock to anyone? I feel it's a genius idea....we all know that in today's society celebrity influence is HUGE with consumers...but I can’t help but wonder, do these celebrities really need this money?? Wouldn't it be great if instead of taking the money for themselves they were obligated to donate it to a charity of their choice?? That would be a win win for all! Who’s with me?!

Source: forbes.com

All The Savvy Ladies, Now Put Your Hands Up

Gabriela Zapata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:31:25 -0400

Since you’re loyal followers, I thought I would give you all a little insider info that we recently got wind of – there’s a new multi-media online community launching on the 17th that is guaranteed to turn you into one savvy lady! With editorial content, style news and reviews, gift giveaways and a webisode series, 24/Savvy is going to be the new go-to destination. Oh and did I forget to mention, that the brains behind this super fun, new site are the team at Brand Building Communications!

I don’t know about you, but I love all tips and tricks that help me live smarter and more creatively, especially in our economy. This site will have you living savvier by your first visit and, get this, you can even win all the great products they talk about. I used to steer clear from sweepstakes and anything with the words “promotional,” or “giveaways,” but with gifts like diamonds, vacations and great designer duds, you better believe I will be the first to sign up.

Now for my absolute favorite part of the site – it features a webisode series hosted by Kathleen Monteleone (AKA “Elle” from the “Legally Blonde” traveling Broadway production). Each week she and a variety of experts will give a celebrity personality a ‘Savvy Edit’ on their closet, kitchen or playroom, etc., and then all edited items are auctioned off or donated to benefit a charity. I am a huge promoter of charities, so I can personally testify that there is definitely nothing savvier than sharing what you’ve got!

Trust me, you will LOVE everything about this site, and the reason I am telling you about it now is because you will want to be one of the first to join. Only the first 50 to register will win the ‘Savvy Gift’ each week, so all my savvy ladies mark your calendars.

I Double-Dog Dare You!

Gabriela Zapata — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:41:51 -0400

Ah, Truth or Dare, brings back so many childhood memories. And now as an adult, we have been given the chance to channel our inner child and bring back the “I double-dog dare you…”

There’s a new social platform in town, makeadare.com, where you can challenge your fellow members to a dare, any dare. Each dare can be “hyped” or “dissed” and members must show video proof of completion of the dare. It’s a sort of Jackass meets Facebook type platform and guaranteed to make you feel like a kid again. Currently, this site is in beta, but I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of a new trend.

Go and check it out, I dare you...

All It Took Was A Tweet

Gabriela Zapata — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:31:49 -0400

I’m sure by now you’ve come across or at least heard of the Twitter page “ShitMyDadSays.” If not, then I suggest you take a gander and get ready to laugh. It’s such an obviously simple idea – I’ve even considered doing this with a friend of mine, who will remain nameless – but that is what makes it so great.

I first heard of this Tweeter at a WOMMA networking event while discussing who’s Twitter accounts were fun to visit during a hectic day at work. Justin Halpern is a 29-year-old guy who moved back in with his 73-year-old dad and basically records all the ridiculous and hilarious things that come out of his mouth. I decided to check out his page, and sure enough I was hooked. With tweets like "Son, no one gives a shit about all the things your cell phone does. You didn't invent it, you just bought it. Anybody can do that," how could you not become a follower. Next thing I know the name Justin Halpern is all the buzz– 700,000 plus followers, a book deal, a TV show! Finally, Twitter has proven itself to be something more than a fad.

Sometimes that is just the way it goes, the simple ideas are the ones that make it big. And with our world shifting to social media, all it took was a tweet.

This Week Do Good With Your Social Media

Gabriela Zapata — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:52:24 -0400

At this point, it's clear that social media is here to stay, but instead of asking what social media can do for you, let's consider what you can do with social media.

Our first natural instincts are to shamelessly promote ourselves with social media, and if you're in the selling business, you're looking for the best ways to market your product/client. Today we can get the word out quicker than we can get a cab, so this all makes sense. I get it. Recently, I’ve been thinking that maybe we should dedicate a week to doing good with our savvy social media skills. This week, let’s shamelessly promote a great cause to help those less fortunate in our community. And, I know just the cause: A Box of Love from Here’s Life Inner City.

Here’s Life Inner City New York is a non-profit organization we work with that is dedicated to helping the poverty stricken members of the inner city. From now until November 11th, they are hosting a campaign to sponsor Boxes of Love. What is a Box of Love? For only $36.71 a box of filled with all the trappings for a Thanksgiving feast is delivered to families in need just in time for Thanksgiving, and each Box of Love feeds a family of six!

In the past, this campaign has been wildly successful, but this year they want to make a greater impact – they want to reach 7,000 families. Seven thousand families means reaching 42,000 people - people you see everyday on the Subway and walk next to on the street. Just imagine, we could impact the same amount of people that it would take to fill Madison Square Garden twice!

So, together let’s use our amazing social media skills and make a difference. Blog about it, tweet about it, become a Facebook fan. Let’s make a difference! Donate a Box of Love today http://bit.ly/gBu8Q.

To Blog Or Not To Blog? Is That Really A Question?

Gabriela Zapata — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:47:30 -0400

It seems to me that now a days blogging is the only way to go. Whether it's micro blogging, the normal blogging or status updates, we no longer reach for our phones to make a phone call but rather to update our social media profiles. Should we no longer ask for people’s phone number, but instead their Facebook and Twitter user names? With all these new platforms emerging, I often wonder how we will ever have enough time to keep up with them all. Heck, our company devotes an entire division to managing this for clients.

Although my bread and butter is made from telling clients they NEED to be in the social media realms, I strongly believe that face time is much more important than Facebook time. Yes, it's important to have a social media presence. And yes, you should keep your virtual "friends" and followers informed, but at the end of the day, how many of these people are really your friends? If you can't make the face time, at least make the phone call. Maybe Twitter is onto this idea also since they just launched the new (but when you're reading this, probably not the latest) application allowing you to make phone calls via Twalkin. Oh Twitter, you're always on top of the trends!

I know we’ll most likely be using this new application for our campaigns, so go ahead and give us a call. But, to be honest, it’s probably easier to get in touch online ☺ Someday I’ll practice what I preach.

Source: weblogcartoons.com

Brand Building Communications Named 2009 SAMMY Awards FINALIST

Alex Alexeeva — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:57:30 -0400

Awards – aren’t we crazy about them? The desire to be recognized lies deep within all of us. Harder, better, faster, stronger. Perfectionists, we want to learn from the best and be the best. The best we can. And yes, we want that award – be it a simple thank you, a gift, a raise, or an Olympic medal.

Being in social media marketing, we keep an eye on the awards that celebrate the hard work and creative solutions in the digital word of mouth marketing field. The WOMMY’s and SAMMY’s are the Oscars and Emmy’s rocking our world.

Throughout this year, we have been on a real rollercoaster ride from project to project, and campaign to campaign. We worked hard – and guess what? Last week, the WOM campaign we did for Bausch & Lomb Multi-Focal contact lenses this Spring/Summer was selected as a FINALIST in the 2009 SAMMY Awards. Our submission was picked as one of three finalists in the Best Integrated Social/Cross Media Campaign category.

Needless to say, we are beyond excited! In our category, we are standing side by side with such great agencies as OMD (who did a campaign for Jim Beam), and Qorvis, Doe Anderson, Padilla Speer Beardsley and Zezza (McDonalds). The winner of the category is still to be announced at the Awards Gala on September 17th at The W Hotel, New York. (All we need is just a little bit of luck!)

No matter what decision the judging committee makes next Thursday, we already feel like winners. And that’s a great feeling – fulfilling and energizing – that leaves us wanting to come back the next year with something even bigger and better.

Source: campusliving.com

What’s On Your Mind?

Kelly Lynch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:15:06 -0400

I am making a bold step and “exposing” a little bit of myself in this blog… so here goes. For the last few months (!!) I have found myself involuntarily thinking and processing my life events in 140 characters or less: “Kelly often wonders why people on the streets of NYC act like people can’t see them when they are picking their nose in public.” “Kelly knows the day is going to be good when the trains on the morning commute are totally in sync.” “Kelly wishes she was outside enjoying the amazing September weather today.” This happens regardless of whether or not I actually post the information in my status. My internal editor processes the content and then it goes through the “is this interesting enough for an actual update” phase.

I was secretly ashamed that I have been so overtaken by my social media (and a little worried that I might be going a little loopy) and thought I must be the only person that is doing this. The internal pressure to be clever, inventive and “create reaction” was almost overpowering. Then, breakthrough. In a casual conversation with friends the subject naturally came up and my friends admitted that they were doing the exact same thing. I at once let out a big sigh of relief and we all half joked about how Facebook, Twitter and the likes have changed the way we process our life experiences… what is too much to tell your network of 300+ friends? What is funny and are we really becoming “too social” when broadcasting all of our virtual dirty laundry?

It is undeniable the power of social media and for the hundreds of millions of users in the world it has created a platform for not only information sharing but for self-expression and promotion. I am not an anthropologist, philosopher or behavioral scholar, but it seems very clear to me (at least in my own head) that the “status update” mentality will forever change how we think and share information with our friends/followers.

Source: buildamovement.com

TUMBLR – If You Don’t Know, You Better Ask Somebody

Gabriela Zapata — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:29:09 -0400

Predictions are always tricky and often dangerous. But in our business, we make it our job to predict the latest and greatest trends and tools in the social media arena. Granted, we may have some missteps along the way, but why should that stop us?

So, here it is folks, the new up-and-coming social media space – TUMBLR! Although it may not be the newest platform, it is definitely the one with the greatest potential – the new “Twitter”, if you will. Tumblr has everything you could want in a social media platform: bookmarks to easily grab content from the Internet and post to your site, a popular iPhone application, audio posts, and the option for tons of free themes to personalize your space. It’s essentially Facebook, Twitter and MySpace all-in-one.

This hybrid of popular social media outlets allows Tumblr enthusiasts to ‘reblog’ each other’s posts (in much the same way that retweets distribute content on Twitter), monitor ‘Tumbularity’ (follower scoring system), pull content from those they follow (similar to Facebook and Twitter), and broadcast a ‘Tumblelog’ (essentially a blog). Using Tumblr has been described as ‘lifestreaming,’ and with all these features it is easy to see why.

Over 7 million users worldwide have jumped on this band-wagon including Katy Perry, John Legend, and Josh Groban. Tumblr is near the tipping point – all it will take is a few news/tv/celebrity mentions to catch fire.

You heard it HERE first, now go out and become part of the next big thing!

Source: raincoastermedia.com